


Hell Bent

by gwen_reilly



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Comicverse), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers, Action & Romance, Best Friends, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Major Original Character(s), Multi, Other, Physical Abuse, Platonic Love, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Psychological Trauma, Romantic Friendship, Romantic love, Secret Crush, Secret Relationship, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Spider-Man: Homecoming Spoilers, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-16 22:18:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 93,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7286815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwen_reilly/pseuds/gwen_reilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They become friends, despite layers upon layers of secrets, lies, and broken promises.</p><p>Annemarie Abbey is the new girl at Midtown High: after a much-needed move from California, she hopes to start her life anew and leave her murky past behind. In the process, she encounters the new hero in town--the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Night and Day

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is actually a rewrite of my original work for the story. I'm sorry for being so finicky. I'm highly critical of myself and I want to make this story the best it can be and I want nothing more for you guys to enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.
> 
> The chapters will be longer, and more characters and relationships will be established, but the basic premise will still be the same. I will also be including my own spin on certain things I've picked up from the comics, though it is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
> 
> This means Tom Holland is still Peter Parker/Spider-Man in this fic. I fell in love after Civil War. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy, and I'm super sorry for taking so long!

If there was one thing Annemarie Abbey loved more than anything else, it was her family. Granted, they had their ups and downs like any other normal family would, but nevertheless she held them near and dear to her heart, even when they seemed to be unfair at times. There was her mother, Wendy, a hard-working woman who always seemed to know just what to say. Annemarie resembled her in many ways, from the nervous ticks, to the choice of breakfast every morning, to her appearance. The similarities, however, ended there. Wendy’s cheerful demeanor and constant go-getting attitude rubbed off on Annemarie’s older brother, Adam. Beginning his bachelor’s program in Midtown University, Adam was loud, cheerful, charismatic, and had many interests in different fields of study. Because of this, he had plenty of friends from different backgrounds. He was Annemarie’s complete and total opposite: he preferred sports and the outdoors while she preferred her books and watching space documentaries. Nevertheless, even when he teased her, Annemarie loved him very much. In turn, he was incredibly protective of her, thus the reason he protested when Annemarie insisted on going with him on his first day of classes.

 

“Why do you want to go to a college campus?” Adam asked her, mouth full of Pop-Tart as he hurried to get ready, “You still have another two weeks of summer vacation!”

 

“I want to see what it’s like! Besides, I won’t get in your way. I’ll stay in the library if you tell me where it is.” Annemarie ate her Pop-Tart with slow, small bites, a napkin wrapped around it while Adam wolfed down one and was working on another one.

 

“God, you’re such a nerd,” Adam rolled his eyes. He grabbed his bag from his chair, hoisted it over one shoulder while searching the kitchen counter for his keys. Annemarie absently wondered how he could consider himself ready when his dark hair poked about in every direction. He had a red tee on underneath an olive green utility jacket, but he missed his pants, wearing only white socks and boxer briefs. When Adam let out a small “a-ha!” upon finding his keys, Annemarie giggled, “So, uh, Adam...is underwear the newest fashion on campus?”

 

Adam raised an eyebrow, “What the hell are you talking about…?” he briefly glanced down, and then there was a loud, “ _ Fuck!! _ ” before he flew out the room, tripping over two chairs and almost colliding into their mother on the way to his bedroom.

 

“Hey, hey, language!” Wendy exclaimed as he slammed his door. There was a muffled, “Sorry, Mom,” in response as she shook her head, laughing quietly.

 

“I feel like Adam would forget his own head if it wasn’t attached,” Wendy joked, giving Annemarie a kiss on the top of her head. “Are you sure you want to stay with your brother today? You know I trust you being home alone, right?”

 

“I know.” Annemarie chirped in response, finishing her Pop-Tart and dusting off her hands before tugging on a black bowler hat. “I just don’t want to sit around reading the same old books, and watching crappy TV,” she rolled her eyes dramatically as Wendy laughed again, “All right, smart mouth. Just be careful and don’t go anywhere without Adam’s permission.”

 

“Yes, Mom.”

 

“And when he’s in class you wait right outside or stay in the library if he tells you where it is.”

 

“I know, Mom.”

 

“When he leaves, you leave. No hanging around, okay?”

 

“Yes, Mom,” Annemarie automatically replied. There was the sound of a door opening, then shuffling footsteps. Adam slid past the two before stopping at the front door, kicking on his sneakers, pants and all. After that, he gave his mother and sister a big grin before proclaiming, “I am ready to get my learning cap on!”

 

“I believe the proper term is  _ thinking cap _ ,” Annemarie corrected. Adam stuck his tongue out at her before retorting, “Nerd.”

 

“Wait!” Wendy hurried up, held her son by the shoulders, “Let me look at my boy,” her voice shook as she said proudly, “Starting his bachelor’s degree. So handsome.”

 

“When have I ever  _ not  _ been handsome, Mom?” Adam grinned.

 

“Ninth grade,” Annemarie mumbled, earning another look from her brother, “Hey! I had oily skin and puberty makes you break out! Besides, ever hear of the tale of the ugly duckling?”

 

“Pepperoni pizza faaaaaace,” Annemarie sang, giggling. Adam snatched her hat, put it on his head. It looked comically small on him as he retorted, “Keep it up or you’ll stay home.”

 

“All right, you two, enough,” Wendy chuckled again, “Now, Adam, sweetheart, good luck on your first day. Keep an eye on your sister, okay?”

 

“You got it, Mom.”

 

“And don’t let her wander off on her own.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Do  _ not  _ leave her by herself while you hang out with your friends.”

 

“Mom, unless my friends took a cross-country flight to New York, I doubt that’ll happen.”

 

“And behave yourself. You’re there for class, not girls.”

 

“Girls sweeten the deal, Mom. Don’t you want to be a grandmother one day?”

 

Wendy shook her head, waved him off, “Okay, no, I don’t need to hear about what my son is doing! No grandkids for me yet, please! Use a condom!”

 

“I’ve already got some packed.” Adam deadpanned.

 

Annemarie looked in horror, “ _ Ew _ !”

 

He laughed at that, ruffled his sister’s hair before putting her hat back on her head, “I’m just messing around, guys. Anyway, I’ve gotta jet. Let’s go, Anne!”

 

“Right, and I’ve got to get to work,” Wendy kissed them both, “Love you! Stay safe!”

 

“Yeah, Mom,” the siblings stated in unison.

 

Wendy gave them her last kisses before leaving, the apartment door slamming shut with a final  _ thud.  _ It was at that moment Annemarie chose to glance at her brother, who was fixing his hair before they got ready to leave themselves. When he had been accepted into Midtown University, a part of her didn’t want him to leave their home in Orange County. The idea of living without her big brother after years of living in the same roof made her feel terribly lonely. Of course, that was before their mother had cheerfully accepted a job in New York as an accountant in the National Bank. Instead of spending extra money for a dorm, Adam opted to live in their new apartment in Brooklyn while he commuted to school. Annemarie practically begged to go with them, the idea of New York entrancing her. They’d left their father behind as he began remodeling a huge client’s mansion in Los Angeles with his team of contractors. He had happily waved goodbye, telling them he would follow in another nine months. Annemarie secretly hoped he would stay. Her father was never a big city person anyway.  Maybe they could travel to California only during the summer while they attended school in New York. That seemed like a nice arrangement. 

 

“Anne of Green Gables!” she was snapped out of her thoughts by Adam waving a hand in her face, “Ready to go? I can’t be late on the first day of class!”

 

She nodded, “I’m ready. Let’s get going!”

 

Annemarie made sure Adam locked the door instead of forgetting as usual. It took Adam a good ten minutes to find the subway, another five to fill both their MetroCards with the right amount of fare, and fifteen minutes waiting for their train. Adam frequently checked the time, mumbling to himself how he didn’t want to be late on his first day. Noticing his uneasiness, Annemarie punched his upper arm, “We’ll be fine. I’ve carefully timed the trip.”

 

“You’ve never even taken the trip before, Anne.” Adam remarked, looking down at her. She used to reach his shoulders. Then, around eighth grade, he had a massive growth spurt, leaving him a full foot taller than her. He frequently teased her about it, calling her a  _ midget  _ or his personal favorite,  _ dumpling.  _ “How could you’ve timed the trip?”

 

“I spent some time researching the subway times after we managed to fish out my laptop while we unpacked,” Annemarie explained, “The 6 train takes around fifteen minutes to arrive at this particular station. Estimating the time between the local stops to the one we need to get off on, it should take approximately twenty-six minutes and thirty-seven seconds.” When Adam gawked at her in disbelief, she quickly added, “Provided there isn’t any signal problems at Canal Street, people in a rush blocking the doors from closing in an attempt to catch this particular train, or any other residual delays.”

 

“Jesus, Anne, I swear you’re a walking fucking encyclopedia,” Adam grumbled, peering down the tracks in search of those two headlights signifying a train’s arrival. “Mom should’ve named you Britannica. Actually, no. You’re a smartphone. I’m gonna start calling you iPhone.” His eyes lit up as he quickly retracted his statement, “Wait, no. Android phone. You’re Anne-droid!”

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes at the nickname, “Wow. That was really lame.”

 

Sure enough, the headlights appeared, and the train began pulling in. Adam shrugged, “ _ You’re  _ lame,” he mumbled before stepping back, waiting for the train to come to a full stop before the doors opened. As they stepped on, Adam quickly found a seat, tugging his sister to sit while he stood over her, holding the overhead pole. He sighed, tugged on his earphones as the train doors closed. He was scrolling through music on his phone when the train pulled out and he stumbled, Annemarie quickly grabbing him by the bottom of his jacket to he didn’t collide into anyone. 

 

“Way to go, Mr. Graceful,” she grumbled. Adam shot her a look before he was lost in some old rock song. She fondly shook her head before reaching into her bag and tugging out a book to read. 

 

\---

 

Precisely twenty-six minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, Annemarie had to tug at her brother again as he looked down at her through his music. She had nodded towards the door to signify this was their stop, and he sprang into action, yanking her up as they flew out of the train. He tugged off his earphones as he looked around the station, seeing multiple signs leading to multiple exits.

 

“The hell? Northwest exit? Southwest exit? Underpass to the L.I.R.R.? Where the hell do I go?” he asked.

 

“Don’t you remember from when you went to orientation?” Annemarie demanded sternly, resting her hands on her hips as the morning rush hour commuters plowed past them at almost inhuman speeds. Some collided into them, and when they hit her in particular Adam would tug her close and shoot the passerby a look before resuming his decision making. He shook his head, “I don’t, actually. All I remember is Joanna.”

 

Annemarie raised an eyebrow, “Joanna?”

 

Adam seemed distracted, looking at each of the signs, “Yeah, the campus tour guide, some sophomore majoring in hospitality. Man, she was cute as fuck, Anne…” 

 

He bit his lip, still lost. Annemarie took charge and tugged them to the northwest exit, “Only you would remember a cute girl. Loser.” She replied, “What time does your class start again?”

 

“8:15,” he replied, checking his phone, “Shit, I’ve only got twenty minutes!”

 

They moved faster, climbing two long flights of stairs until they hit the sidewalk. Thankfully they stood in front of a tall gray building where other students around Adam’s age began hurrying in.

 

“Oh, thank sweet baby Jesus, I remember this building,” Adam mumbled, “This is where the main building is. And I think my first class is in there.” He turned to face her, jabbed a thumb behind them, “Library’s right behind us. Big old building.”

 

Annemarie turned, gasped at the huge old building lined with columns and stairs that took up almost half the block. There were students running in, older men and women calmly striding in with bags in hand, and passerby regarding the amazing old building before going about their business. 

 

“Anne, I gotta go,” he gave her a quick hug, knelt down to her height, “Stay in the library, okay? My first break’s at noon, so I’ll come pick you up then. We’ll have pizza or something and then I’ve got animal biology at one. Stay put, okay? If you need me, text me.”

 

“Okay.” she nodded, not afraid of being left alone, “Good luck, loser.”

 

“You only wish you were me. You’ve got lame ol’ high school in another two weeks.” He teased, “Stay safe, dumpling.”

 

“Later, pizza roll,” she gave a grin before he quickly hurried across the street and into the building. Once he was safely inside, Annemarie eagerly hurried into the library.


	2. The Pursuit of Greater Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, an update! Real Life is kicking my butt still, so while updates may be slow, they're coming. In this chapter, we meet a Spidey character who I'm personally fond of. Also, I modeled a lot of this on my own former experiences in college. I hope you guys enjoy!

Despite their differences, Adam Abbey never found his sister strange with her fascination of classic literature and science. He never looked at her funny when she calculated how many calories he would need per day if he wanted to make the soccer team. He didn't raise an eyebrow when she found his cell phone in the bathroom where he often left it. The only thing that outright disturbed him was how she gleefully ate a slice of pizza with pineapples on them. Every. Single. Time.

 

“Pineapples don't belong on pizza,” Adam grumbled as he sprinkled red peppers and hot sauce on the four plain slices sitting in paper plates on a red tray. His sister glared at him, nibbling cutely on her pizza as she held the paper plate underneath to catch any grease. Once she finished her bite she retorted, “Says the dork who pours half a bottle of hot sauce on his slices.”

 

“I like it hot!” Adam protested, opening his can of soda and chugging half of it down in one gulp. Annemarie cringed at the carbonated, sugary drink, “Soda is bad for you, you know.”

 

“So are the McDonald’s snack wraps, but I eat those anyway and look how healthy I am.”

 

“Just because you don't gain weight doesn't mean you're healthy, weirdo. Seriously, you could benefit from cutting out soda and switching to something healthier, like those green smoothies you used to drink.” Annemarie giggled when Adam made a disgusted face, “Key words being  _ used to drink.  _ The shit I did to get into the high school football team was a total bitch, Anne. That shit tasted like plants and fertilizer.”

 

“Spinach and kale are kind of supposed to taste plant-y, Adam.”

 

“ _ Plant-y?  _ How about like eating dirt? No thanks.” Adam shuddered, “Besides, we only have one life, might as well indulge!” He lifted his can and proclaimed, “Yolo!”

 

Annemarie laughed, “Did I seriously just hear you say  _ yolo?” _

 

“Lighten up on me, I need a hobby.” Adam retorted, “We’ve been in New York for only about a few weeks now and I'm all fidgety. I'm gonna look into joining a club or something.” He reached into his pocket to check his phone only for his sister to beat him to the punch, “It's 12:30. You're running on schedule.”

 

“Seriously, do you read minds?” 

 

“No, you're just really scatterbrained, so it's up to me to keep you on track.” Annemarie teased. She squeaked when Adam flung a napkin at her, “I prefer to think of myself as constantly indulging on life’s many different facets.”

 

“Scatterbrained,” Annemarie whispered as she finished her slice, leaving only the crust behind. Adam snatched it up and began eating it, causing her to eye him oddly. “You can neffur waysh foo, Anne.” He spoke with his mouth full. She tried not to be too grossed out at the sight of him eating so much food, “So what class do you have at one again?”

 

He chewed for a few moments before swallowing loudly and then gulping down the last of his soda before answering, “Animal biology. I didn’t want to take regular bio. I mean, come on, I’m pretty sure I know how my body works. If I have to pee, I pee. If I have gas, I fart. I mean, it’s pretty straightforward. Animals are a different story, though. Thought it’d be cool to take.”

 

The idea of animal biology fascinated Annemarie, “Really? Can I go with you?”

 

“I forgot all that science shit’s your thing. But no,” Adam shook his head before hesitating, “I mean...I don’t even know if I can. You aren’t even an enrolled student. I don’t want to get in trouble with the professor on my first day.”

 

“I can sit in the back!” Annemarie pleaded, “Sit and keep my head down! I won’t even talk to you, so you can act cool with your friends.”

 

He gave her a weird look, “I’m not worried about what my asshole friends think. Besides, they’re just my classmates at this point. But no, it’s not that. Apparently, the professor I have takes roll call and he’s pretty perceptive. He’ll notice you never raised your hand or said  _ here  _ during roll call.”

 

“Maybe you can ask him before class starts?” Annemarie bit her lip, the thought of an advanced college course in animal biology too exciting a prospect for her, “Please, Adam?”

 

Adam rolled his eyes, sighed as Annemarie gave the best puppy look she could manage, “Pleeeeeeease?”

 

“All right, fine, I’ll  _ ask  _ him before class starts.” Adam huffed out in resignation, “If he actually says yes, do  _ not  _ interrupt the lesson, no matter what. But if he says no, you sit right outside. No arguing, okay?”

 

Annemarie beamed, “I have the best older brother a girl could ask for.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, you owe me,” Adam grumbled. “If I get an F for this course at the end of the semester because of this, I’m blaming you.”

 

“You’re overreacting. I doubt your professor’s  _ that _ mean. Who is he, anyway? Do they tell you your teachers in college?” She asked innocently. She wished she could finish high school already and just begin college. It seemed to her college students had much more freedom than the lame and mundane of high school. Spending time in the library as Adam took his morning classes was fascinating enough. Books she’d never even seen before, books as big as her head on any and every subject. Older editions of literary classics, all complete with mahogany desks, well-polished wooden chairs, subtle lighting, and of course, the smell of old ink and paper. It was heaven on earth for Annemarie, so much so that when Adam found her curled up with five books beside her in a corner, she begged him to let her stay the whole day. He wasn’t having it, not when she needed to eat.

 

Adam shook his head, “Nah, but they’ve only got maybe two professors that teach animal bio in particular. One of them only does evening classes, which-- _ fuck that _ , I don’t take evening classes. So that narrows it down to the only other dude. Think his name’s…Connors? Yeah, Curt Connors.”

 

Annemarie was in the middle of drinking her iced tea, and upon hearing the name  _ Curt Connors  _ she almost choked, coughing and catching her breath before meeting her brother’s eyes, “Did you say Curt Connors?”

 

“Yeah, who the hell is he?” Adam handed her a napkin, looking rather amused at how his sister’s eyes were wide and bright with even more excitement than before. 

 

“ _ Adam! _ Dr. Curt Connors is only one of the leading  _ experts  _ in mutagenics and biochemistry! I didn’t know he was teaching here!!” Annemarie was practically shaking, “I  _ have  _ to be there!” The very idea that Curt Connors was teaching her brother’s next class practically made Annemarie’s day. She had read most of his reports and research papers on regenerating human limbs, perhaps relying on animal DNA and stem cells to recreate lost limbs for amputees or even cure disease. Being so close to one of her scientific idols was just too exciting to resist crashing Adam’s class.

 

“Well, it depends on if he says yes to you rudely crashing his class, which I doubt if you’re saying he’s such an expert. Probably a snooty guy.”

 

“Not at all!” Annemarie scoffed, “I’ve watched documentaries and interviews with him on YouTube and he seems like a smart and nice man!”

 

“Let’s see how nice he is when I ask if you can sit in.” Adam retorted.

 

\---

 

The lecture hall was huge, far bigger than Annemarie anticipated it to be. As students filed past her and Adam as they remained near the doorway, her eyes were wide as she took in the rows of seats, gradually elevating higher and higher, almost like a theater of some sorts. The front of the room held three rows of whiteboard on the wall, a projector sitting in the corner. The desk was white, and she already spotted papers and an attendance sheet. As students took their seats, Adam walked in and sat in the first row in the middle, closest to the front. Annemarie remained standing, studying the faces of students talking amongst themselves or taking out their notebooks. It looked as if the only seat available was in the back, way up top next to a guy already napping at his desk. She bit her lip, ignored the students eyeing her oddly as Adam spoke to her, “When he gets here, I’ll ask before he starts the lesson. Remember what I said.”

 

She nodded, biting her lip in anticipation as she eyed the door, waiting for Curt Connors to walk in. As she continued shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Adam dutifully had his binder open and ready to go, and he too began glancing at the door, waiting.

 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a man in a lab coat entered, and Annemarie knew it was Connors. He looked to be at least in his forties, with thinning brown hair poking about in different directions. He wore large glasses, held several books in his left hand. The right sleeve of his lab coat was tied into a knotted ball, earning a murmur from the students wondering why he only appeared to have one arm. He was checking his watch when he stopped at the desk, straightened out his hair and looked up to his class. Just as he was about to speak, Annemarie could barely contain herself as she let out a high-pitched squeal.

 

The entire class grew quiet, and as the students all turned to look at her, as did Connors, Annemarie felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. When she heard a giggle, she almost moved to leave, only for Adam to stand, gently taking his sister’s arm as he hurried up to the front desk. Surprisingly, the man didn’t look deterred, simply curious as he adjusted his glasses.

 

“Hi, uh…” Adam was better at talking to strangers than Annemarie was, so she was grateful that he opted to speak first. She would become shy and fumble with her words, would begin prattling about on whatever tickled her fancy (usually science or literature). Instead, she kept her eyes downcast as he spoke in a hushed voice, “Sorry, sir. Um, my name’s Adam Abbey. I’m...obviously one of your students, but, uh, this is my little sister. I’m keeping an eye on her today and...she’s a big fan of your work. I know it’s kind of a stretch, but is it all right if she sits in your class today?”

 

Connors paused, cleaned his glasses as he studied the two. The boy was significantly taller, perhaps a head and some inches taller. The girl, looking significantly younger, kept neatly straight light brown hair underneath a bowler hat. Her pale cheeks were tinted pink, and she didn’t dare look up. He remained expressionless, his blue-eyed gaze traveling from Adam to the much shorter Annemarie. Then at last, he gave a polite smile, nodding his head to Adam, “Well, Mr. Abbey, I don’t see a problem with it. Learning has no age limits.”

 

Annemarie’s eyes shot up to his, wide in wonder. Adam gently pinched his sister’s side before giving a relieved grin, “Thank you, sir. Sorry for the interruption.”

 

Connors waved a hand as if to say it was fine before he glanced down the papers. Adam shot her a wink before Annemarie eagerly climbed up the stairs to the last available seat. As she sat, the guy sleeping began to snore. Connors didn’t miss it, eyeing him briefly before proclaiming, “Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to Animal Biology. As you know, my name is Dr. Curtis Connors, and I will be your professor this semester.” He took out several pink sheets of paper, handed them to Adam, “The syllabus for this course will be passed around while I go over attendance. When I call your name, please raise your hand.”

 

Roll call passed without incident, save for Connors calling a  _ Matthews, Jacob  _ only to receive no response except for the snoring in the back of the room. “I’m safely presuming that is my sleeping student…” he mumbled as the class gave way to low sniggers. The other incident was regarding a Miss Abbey after the list of names was complete, and Annemarie had dutifully raised her hand, despite not officially being part of the class. Once he concluded with his routine, Connors wasted no time,

 

“Now, as today is the first day of classes, I actually prefer  _ not  _ to dive into a lecture right away, but merely to introduce the class and keep it simple. I am aware the class lasts two hours, though I will not be keeping you that long today, perhaps an hour at most.” Upon hearing the excited murmurs of tired students, Connors raised an eyebrow, “Don’t get used to it. After today I will be keeping you for the full two hours as promised, with a twenty-minute break in between. Also, as you can see in your syllabus, I only require one textbook for this course. The university bookstore sells a hardcover for fifty-five dollars, but I find it to be rather expensive. I personally recommend buying an older paperback edition from the secondhand bookstore on 37th. Not much has changed from the older editions, simply a few footnotes here and there. I am not adverse to you downloading it either, as long as you pay attention in my class and don’t use your laptops or tablets for surfing the Web.”

 

Another excited murmur came about the class at that.

 

“You may bring in food and drink if you so wish during lectures. I understand we are here for a while and hunger and thirst do not make way for proper scientific thought. As long as you clean up after yourself, we should be just fine. However, for our Friday labs,  _ do not  _ bring food or beverage for obvious reasons.” He eyed a student in the middle of the room, a young girl with pink hair and a pierced nose with her hand raised, “Yes, Miss…” he glanced at the attendance sheet before saying, “Miss Rowan?”

 

The girl looked almost surprised at how quickly he learned her name before biting her lip and quietly asking, “Sir, if it’s okay to ask...I don’t wanna make things weird, but--!”

 

“You want to know about this.” Connors gave a knowing grin, gestured to the limp sleeve on his right side. “I suppose if we’re getting to know each other, the elephant in the room should be addressed. I was away in Afghanistan before I came to teaching. An enemy bomb caused me to lose my arm.”

 

There was a hushed silence now, perhaps none of them sure what to say. Connors broke the silence quickly, “What matters is I’m in one piece...mostly,” he quickly added wryly. He cleared his throat after a beat, clearly wanting to change the subject, “As I was saying...quizzes will occur every other Wednesday before my lecture begins. I also speak quite a bit, so be prepared to take plenty of notes. 

 

“Finally, this class is a science course, and while I understand the need to be practical, I also encourage you all to think outside the box. Apply yourselves, learn as much as you can. Science, above all, is about the pursuit of greater things. If you have questions, feel free to ask them in this classroom. If you’re struggling and need further explanation, my office hours are on your syllabus. I also check my e-mails every hour. Does anyone have any further questions?”

 

He was met with silence and shaking heads. Annemarie found herself amazed at how he could keep the entire classroom silent and listening. She was bristling with excitement now, prepared for whatever he would begin speaking about in his first lecture. She already took out her little notebook and a pencil, ready to transcribe his every word.

  
“Very well, then, I’ll keep our first lecture short today. Start taking notes, everyone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of a certain web-slinging science geek. But don't worry, he's swinging in next chapter!


	3. Onwards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it's been a super long time since my last update, and for that, I'm really sorry. Real Life is kicking my behind, and I struggled for employment. I've managed to find a job, and inspiration finally hit. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, because I'm really excited to get into the future chapters! Feedback is appreciated and much love from me to you!

It had become a habit for Peter Parker to spend his lazy summer days using Uncle Ben’s old camera to take photos of whatever tickled his fancy around him. He would wander aimlessly, take pictures of people who seemed busier, better, happier than he felt he was. He urged Aunt May he was perfectly fine, and there were days he certainly felt fine. But there were days like today, days when just being a secret superhero wasn’t enough. And it baffled him. To his practical, scientific mind, he knew it didn’t make sense--he was able to lift things heavier than he’d ever even attempted lifting before. His reflexes surprised even him, catching something thrown in the air without even looking up. His senses, while difficult to focus at times, were so heightened it felt as if he’d spent the first years of his life in a dull haze before now. Why was he still unhappy? Why did he still feel as if he was stuck in a rut?

 

His wrists were itching again as he kept the camera around his neck, holding onto the pole of the 7 train after giving up his seat to an elderly woman. Peter winced, tried not to reach up and scratch, out of fear of exposing his freshly repaired web-shooters hiding under his hoodie sleeves. He could feel the odd stares, people wondering why the hell a kid was wearing a hoodie in ninety-degree weather. Nevertheless, he wiggled his wrist here and there in an attempt to alleviate the itch. 

 

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and Peter fished it out to find a text from his friend, Ned Leeds. 

 

_ First meeting for the school newspaper’s gonna be after school on the first day back. You still my photographer, man? Let me kno. _

 

He let out a sigh. After Uncle Ben, Peter had temporarily stopped going to his extracurricular activities. Not that he had much anyway--mathletes and the school newspaper for Ned’s benefit. It was funny how everyone seemed to notice him  _ after  _ Uncle Ben had passed away. He hated the looks of pity, he especially hated how Flash Thompson even gave him two weeks free from being stuffed into a locker every sixth period. He didn’t want pity--he already felt worse about it as it was.

 

He replied with one hand,  _ yeah count me in. see you then. _

 

He wasn’t sure whether to look forward to the new school year up ahead or dread it further with the conflict school and his new double life would present. On the one hand, school was a welcome distraction from his blank thoughts. On the other, he certainly hoped bad guys had the sense to commit crimes preferably after school hours. Either way, Peter knew better than to push his luck. As long as he didn’t fail any courses during the year, he’d do fine. He did want to get into a good university at least.

 

He let out a sigh, closed his eyes and silently pleaded,  _ Normal year. Please just let me have a normal year. _

 

With his new habits, however, he knew the probability of having said normalcy was highly unlikely.

 

\---

 

By the time Dr. Connors had finished his lecture, Annemarie had written eight pages’ worth of notes, adding a few bits and pieces in the margins, fun facts that she had learned from watching his documentaries and reading his research papers. As the class filed to leave, perhaps relieved to finish their first day of animal biology, Annemarie only wanted to know more. These eight pages were not enough in her eyes. As the students filed out behind her, she spotted Adam, still sitting with his binder open and trying to write whatever he could remember. Connors wasn’t kidding: he did speak rather quickly, and Annemarie was lucky to be able to keep up. Her brother, on the other hand, often used pictures and repetition to learn. A part of her worried for him. He had big dreams, and she didn’t want him failing in any class. 

 

She grabbed her stuff, scrambled up to the front row and sat beside him on a left-handed desk. “Are you okay? Do you want to read over my notes?”

 

Adam ran a hand through his messy hair, “I hate to admit it, but yeah.” He eagerly grabbed her notebook as he began copying, “Man, the guy talks stupidly fast. I can barely keep up.”

 

“As I said, Mr. Abbey, my office hours are open and I am more than happy to help if you’re confused with anything.” Both siblings looked up in surprise upon finding Connors had not left his post.

 

“It’s okay, Dr. Connors, he’s borrowing my notes,” Annemarie gave a polite smile, “I’ll make sure he stays informed.”

 

Connors gave a smile of his own, more impressed than amused, “How considerate of you, Miss Abbey. However, I do not expect you’ll be present in all of my lectures.”

 

Annemarie frowned, realizing he was right. She heard Adam groan, perhaps not too thrilled about the prospect of having to write his notes alone. She bit her lip, asked, “Do you have another lecture, Dr. Connors? You...haven’t left the lecture hall yet.”

 

Connors shook his head, beginning to put his papers away, “No, Miss Abbey, my lectures for today are finished. I simply prefer not to rush. We miss the finer things in life if we do so.Though you are welcome to accompany me to my office if you are still confused about my lecture.”

 

Adam merely kept writing, his handwriting a chicken scratch compared to his sister’s bold and neat print. 

 

“Do you teach every day, Dr. Connors?” Annemarie asked, her eyes wide in wonder.

 

“Oh, yes, every day, including a Saturday morning lecture. The only day I choose to indulge in my television shows is Sunday,” Connors chuckled, finished packing.

 

Annemarie glanced at her brother, still quickly copying, and asked, “What time are your Saturday classes?”

 

Connors raised a curious eyebrow, “My classes on Saturdays begin at nine in the morning, sharp.”

 

“And are they the same as my brother’s?”

 

“Mr. Abbey’s classes would be at least one lecture ahead of the Saturday classes, as they meet twice a week instead of the usual full-time student’s four. Though, yes, they are the same.”

 

“Would it be all right if I sat in for those classes, Dr. Connors?” Annemarie pleaded, “I think it would be a great honor and a privilege to learn from you.” She ignored Adam’s noise of shock beside her and continued, “Not only would I be learning, but perhaps I’d be able to help my brother with my own notes. I promise I won’t get in the way. Plus, it’d be convenient! I start school soon, but it’s only Monday through Fridays!”

 

Connors started, clearly caught off guard at the request. It took him a moment as he stuttered out, “Well, Miss Abbey, I should--I should say my course can get rather difficult. And it’s a commitment. Though you are not an enrolled student, I would expect dedication by coming to all lessons and labs as needed.”

 

He looked even more surprised at her determined reply, “Yes, sir. I’ll gladly do so. I promise I won’t get in the way.”

 

Connors paused, and his eyes flickered from both Adam to Annemarie in surprise. “Well, again, I’m not one to refuse someone who is willing to learn. I will allow it. Mr. Abbey, you are also invited to attend a Saturday lecture if you are still confused.”

 

Adam could only grunt in response. Annemarie tried not to squeal in glee. Attending Dr. Curtis Connors’ lectures would be an enriching experience, she was sure. “Thank you, Dr. Connors! I promise you, you won’t regret it!”

 

Connors chuckled, “I don’t. It’s not often someone as young as yourself wants to attend my lectures for free.”

 

Adam let out a cheer as he slammed his binder shut, finished with his notes. He looked up, “Uh...thanks, sir!”

 

“Not a problem, Mr. and Miss Abbey. First lecture is this Saturday at nine.” Connors replied before giving a nod and leaving them. 

 

Adam turned, looked at his sister, “Hey, Anne?”

 

She was too busy ogling the door in which Connors walked out of, “Hmm?”

 

“He thinks you’re smarter than me. You totally stole my thunder.” he teased, eliciting a smack on the shoulder from her. 

 

“I didn’t do anything! It’s not  _ my  _ fault you got lucky and got one of the most brilliant minds in science! How can I squander this opportunity! And he’s so nice! I can’t  _ wait _ to go to his lectures.”

 

Adam sighed, hoisting his bag over his shoulder as he nodded his head towards the door, “C’mon, Anne, we’re done for today. Let’s head home.”

 

“I wish I could go to college instead of high school…” Annemarie grumbled as she followed her brother. “Get to have cool professors...classes are  _ way  _ more exciting here!”

 

“Wait till they start bogging me down with tests and papers,” Adam replied dryly, “I can’t wait for the existential dread to kick in.”

 

“Don’t worry, Adam! I’ll attend Dr. Connors’ lectures and help you with your notes!”

 

Adam sighed, snatched her hat from her head and put it on himself, “What would I do without the most kick-ass baby sister a guy could ask for?”

 

Annemarie frowned in mock thought before replying, “Crash and burn.”

 

“...Seriously, it’s so weird how you’re like a computer.”

 

“Adam! Don’t ruin the moment!”

  
He chuckled, merely ruffled her hair in response, earning a disgruntled squeak from her as she tried to fix her mane.


	4. Firsts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new update! Holy bazinga! Also, WHO'S EXCITED FOR SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING? BECAUSE THAT TRAILER WAS AMAZING. In fact, it inspired me so much you got yourselves this little gem of an update! Hope y'all enjoy!

Not for the first time, Wendy called out to her children, her voice echoing throughout their apartment, “Adam! Annemarie! Breakfast is ready!”

 

In one bedroom, Adam was snoring loudly, still asleep after spending the entire night studying, his college career already in full swing. However, in the opposite bedroom down the hall, the younger Abbey sibling was busy fussing over what to wear on her first day at a new school in New York City. She had been up since 4:45 in the morning, too anxious and excited to sleep, but also preparing herself for an important day. She had been enrolled into Midtown High weeks ago before classes began, so thankfully there wouldn’t be an awkward scene where she would stand in front of a classroom introducing herself. While Annemarie enjoyed the prospect of blending in, she still wanted a seamless transition into her life in New York.

 

She had a few friends in Orange County, but not enough to establish any real connections. Most of them only used her for homework help or cheating on her tests. Annemarie didn’t particularly mind this, as she preferred being alone. Besides, she went to a smaller school and wasn’t very fond of her old classmates anyway. Sighing, Annemarie pulled out a light blue top, laid it beside a pair of dark jeans, brown leather boots, and a beige cardigan. It didn’t look too exciting for her, so she groaned, laid out a different top and bottom set. She continued mixing and matching, barely registering her mother’s voice calling out,

 

“Either you guys eat your breakfast or you’ll have to take it to go!”

 

“Coming, Mom!” Annemarie called back, nibbling on her pinky nail. She swore inwardly as she realized she’d forgotten to paint her nails the night before. She was busy looking up Dr. Connors’ newest research documentaries. Finally deciding to remain practical due to the autumn chill, Annemarie settled on a burgundy sweater, black skinny jeans, and grey leg warmers poking out under black lace-up boots. She kept her makeup minimal, sticking to eyeliner and lip balm, made sure her hair was perfectly straight before she added the final touch of her signature black bowler hat. Nodding at her reflection, Annemarie burst out of her room just as Adam opened his door, his hair all over the place, looking like he woke up from the dead. She gave him a look before hurrying into the kitchen, where Wendy sighed, “About time, you two! I didn’t want to eat without you both! I made pancakes!”

 

“Food…” Adam groaned sleepily as he plopped into the nearest chair. He was wolfing them down as soon as he was served. Annemarie cringed at how rapidly he ate as her plate was set down. “Thanks, Mom…”

 

Wendy sat at the head of the table, resting a hand over her daughter’s, “So, are you ready for your first day?”

 

Annemarie gave a smile, “I’m ready for my newest adventure, Mom!”

 

“That’s my girl, always looking on the bright side,” Wendy gave her hand a squeeze before turning to Adam, “Sweetheart, how about you? Did you sleep well last night?”

 

Adam merely let out a noise that resembled a reply, and Annemarie couldn’t resist a giggle, “You look like a wind tunnel just blew into your room and sent you flying all over.”

 

He shot her a death glare before resuming eating, and Wendy asked, “Do you want me to drive you to school, Anne? I think it’ll be quicker than the subway.”

 

Annemarie shook her head, “I’d rather take the train. Besides, I don’t want you to be late for work!”

 

“I think you just want to be cool and not be seen with me,” Wendy shook her head knowingly, “but all right. Just be careful traveling. I hear the trains get very crowded and I don’t want you getting trampled.” 

 

“Mom, I’ll be fine,” Annemarie rolled her eyes dramatically, “I’ve already calculated that, without residual delays, it’ll take me exactly forty-six minutes and seventeen seconds. That gives me time to see the principal and get my locker and my schedule, so I can get right into the flow of things once the rush of students walk in at eight-fifteen!”

 

“Fuckin’  _ nerd _ ,” Adam grumbled into his orange juice, earning a sharp kick from his sister under the table. Wendy muttered, “ _ Language _ ,” before continuing, “are you nervous, sweetie?”

 

Annemarie shrugged, “Not really. I guess it’s just anticipation. Who knows what this year is going to bring? I’m hoping it’ll be an exciting year and not boring like back home.” 

 

“Either way, just be careful.” 

 

“And actually  _ have friends _ ,” Adam finally managed to choke out an actual sentence, “Seriously, you almost never went outside, people thought you were a vampire back home.”

 

Annemarie bit back the urge to kick her brother again. She loved him, but she didn’t want to be reminded about anything to do with back home. The days she spent skipping lunch. The constant stares and giggles. The constant sight of a locked bedroom door--

 

“I’m gonna be late!” Annemarie burst out of her seat, hurrying to her room to grab her schoolbag. She took her phone, threw it in her bag and hoisted it over her shoulder, going back to the dining room. She kissed the top of her brother’s head, muttering a quick goodbye, then hugged and kissed her mother before proclaiming, “Bye! I don’t wanna miss that train!”

 

As soon as the door gave a finalizing slam, Wendy gave her son a look. Adam merely responded with a confused, “What?”

 

\---

 

The train to school was not at all what Annemarie expected. She didn’t anticipate the crowd of people standing practically on top of each other. She didn’t expect the smell of someone’s funky body odor next to her. Judging from the huge crowd, she expected a hard time getting off the train, so she opted to remain close to the train doors, leaning on them when they closed and when the train would begin moving. She tried not to cringe at the smelly passenger next to her, wanting desperately to take out her book and read. However, she didn’t have a seat and she didn’t have any room to maneuver. She sighed in annoyance as she calculated how much longer her agonizing train ride would go. As she did so, the train doors opened at another station, where even more people stuffed themselves further in. Annemarie winced as several people slammed into her bag, sending her in all sorts of different directions before she finally stood still once again.

 

Just as the train doors began to close, she heard someone shout, “Hey! Wait! No, please! No, nonononono!”

 

Annemarie quickly found the source of the agonized shout as she watched a boy around her age practically soaring down the subway stairs in a desperate attempt to catch the train. Without even thinking, Annemarie’s arm shot out, blocking the doors from closing. They opened again in an attempt to clear the obstruction, giving the boy ample time to squeeze into the train. He only had room in front of her just as the doors closed, and with a relieved light in his eyes he uttered a quick, “Thanks!”

 

She merely nodded and gave a small smile in response, losing her balance as the train jolted into movement. The boy grabbed her arm, and she regained balance. She gave a wider smile in thanks, absently noting he smelled significantly better than the stinky passenger behind her. The train ride didn’t seem too bad after that.

 

However, as the train ride passed and Annemarie found herself filing past tons of fellow students for assigned homerooms and lockers and so on, she found she suddenly dreaded being surrounded by people she didn’t know. She felt paranoid as students glanced her way, mumbling to their friends after a year of already knowing each other. Were they talking about her? Were they already judging her? She wished her sweater would grow bigger somehow and hide her. She studied the papers given to her at the front desk, discovering English was her first class of the day and her locker was a 17E, the last one by the fire extinguisher on the second floor. Annemarie sighed, walked past everyone and tried not to meet anyone’s eyes. It felt as if everyone was staring at her, even though logically she knew it wasn’t the case. 

 

She made it to her locker just as the first bell rang, and she fiddled with the combination lock, tugged at the door, only to receive nothing in return. She tried again, and the door didn’t budge. 

 

“No, no, no…” she mumbled, her heart falling in panic as she yanked and yanked, hoping for the stupid locker door to open. The last thing she wanted was to be late to her first class on her first day. “Stupid... _ door… _ ” 

 

Just as she felt frustrated tears sting the corners of her eyes, a hand slammed twice on the top of her locker door, then once on the bottom. After that, her locker door creaked open, revealing old punk rock band posters and a musty smell. 

 

Grateful, Annemarie turned to her left, found the very same boy she held the train doors open for beside her, stuffing his bag in the locker next to hers. He gave a gamely shrug, “Yeah, that one’s kind of rough to open. Just do what I did and it should open, no problem. No one’s really used it in a while, so it’s temperamental.” 

 

“Oh, my  _ God, _ thank you  _ so  _ much,” she blurted out, immediately putting her things away, “I’ll keep that in mind.” 

 

“No problem,” he muttered, giving a smile back.

 

She gave him a smile before locking her locker, chirping, “Have a nice day!” before scurrying off to English.

 

\---

 

It was safe to say Peter was having a pretty decent first day, despite believing it would be a train wreck. He woke up late, missed breakfast, and almost missed his train only for a girl to hold the doors open for him. 

 

He really wanted to pay attention in History, but it was just so. Boring. The teacher was already prattling on about a better year and comparing it to similar times in history in an attempt to make it seem like an actual lesson. Peter found himself on his phone instead, hiding it under the desk as he read the newest news articles talking about Spider-Man. Most of them labelled him as a public menace, and he winced at that. However, as he searched the hashtag on Twitter, he found people taking fuzzy photos, talking about how amazing and badass he was. One tweet in particular talked about how brave he was saving an old lady from bank robbers back in July. Peter found himself smiling at that one, only for the bell to ring, signifying the end of first period. He let out a sigh as he glanced at his schedule. Next up was Chemistry, a class he (thankfully) enjoyed. 

 

As he passed the teacher’s desk on the way out, he jumped upon hearing the teacher proclaim, “And keep your phone in your pocket, Parker.”

 

He winced, mumbled a “yes, sir,” before hurrying out and heading to the science labs. 

 

By the time he got into class most of the seats were full, friends sitting with friends. He tried very hard not to notice he had this particular class with Liz Allan, who looked stunning as always as she talked with one of her friends. She had a pretty green sweater on, and she looked so beautiful with her gorgeous hair and pretty eyes and--

 

Peter hurried to the nearest available seat as the late bell rang, almost tripping in the process. Just as he got situated, their chemistry teacher walked in, attendance sheet in hand. She was already preparing to start a basic lesson on the scientific method when he felt a tap on his arm.

 

“Hey,” it was the person he sat next to, the very same girl who held the train doors open for him, the same girl he helped open her locker next to his. He was a bit relieved to see somewhat of a familiar and friendly face. She bit her lower lip, almost anxious as she whispered, “Do you have an extra pencil or something? I forgot my pencil case in my rush to class.”

 

“Uh, yeah, sure…” he mumbled, fishing an extra pencil out of his case and handing it to her. 

 

She gave him a bright smile, “You’re a lifesaver, thank you. I’ll give it back after class, I promise.”

 

He shrugged, “Uh...okay...cool…”

  
They both remained silent for the rest of the period, taking notes as their teacher babbled on.


	5. Caught Up in Webs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP. The trailer inspired me so much, y'all got yourselves one heck of a long chapter! I hope you guys enjoy and KEEP WATCHING THAT TRAILER, IT'S AMAZING.
> 
> I'm sticking to Peter's old outfit before he gets the upgrade in Civil War. I'm going by what I saw in the fuzzy video footage, so bear with me. I'm sure the movie will give us further insight, but for now...it's gonna be described the way it is in the chapter.
> 
> Much love!

As soon as as he entered the cafeteria, Peter was relieved to see his friend Ned Leeds, already at a table and waving for him to sit. At least he didn't need to awkwardly sit in the library this year. The instant Peter sat down, Ned slapped him a high five in greeting. “Hey, man! Aw, I'm so happy we got lunch together, dude, I've got loads to tell you!” He blurted out, clearly excited about something. Ned had very little that excited him, so Peter knew this had to be good. He eyed the unappetizing-looking school lunch before asking, “What's up?”

 

“So, the first meeting for the school paper is Friday and I already have  _ the literal best  _ front page headline ever.” Ned held up his hands, ran them over an imaginary billboard as he proclaimed, “ _ Spider-Man: Hero or Villain?”  _ He grinned, “What d’you think? I mean, I've got the article ready, but I could use a pretty awesome photo! Interested?”

 

There was no point in saying no. Ned would find a way to egg him into doing it anyway. Besides, a selfie never hurt anyone. Peter sighed, “Yeah, sure.”

 

“You are the literal best!! So, tell me about your schedule. Do we have any classes together or what?” Ned pulled out his schedule while Peter handed him his own, and he compared the two for a moment, “We only have, like, two classes together besides lunch. Damn. However,” he smacked Peter’s arm, “You might wanna know I got History with Liz third period.”

 

Finally, a subject he was particularly interested in, “Yeah, I got Chemistry with her. Aw, man, she got a new top and she looks great…”

 

“Doesn't she? Ah, Liz. Beauty and brains, an amazing combination. There's another girl I've got English with, and she's pretty cute too.”

 

Peter raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

 

“Yeah, she's a new student from California, apparently. She's cute, dude. Always wears this hat. She's quiet, though. I tried to say hi but she kinda just looked away all shy and stuff. I forgot her name...I think it's Abbey or something…either way, she's cute. I rank her a solid eight in my book.”

 

“You're still ranking the chicks, man? Didn't we agree Liz is all that matters?” Peter asked. 

 

“Well, yeah, but hey, there's still options.” Ned suddenly glanced at the door, where the girl in the hat from his English class entered. He nudged Peter, nodded in her direction, “That's her. The girl in English. Like the whole hat and boots setup.”

 

Peter followed Ned’s gaze, surprised to see the very same girl he shared Chemistry class with. Her dark eyes searched the sea of students for a seat, and she looked lost, almost forlorn as she held her lunch tray, oddly containing just a carton of chocolate milk and an apple. She seemed almost hesitant, confused.

 

Ned shook his head, “Wish I knew her name for sure...she  _ is  _ a looker…”

 

She  _ was  _ pretty, Peter had to admit. But he still thought Liz was the prettiest girl in school. He watched as the girl bit her lower lip, turned to leave, and before he could stop himself, he stood up, waved, “Hey! You can sit here if you want!”

 

His eyes widened at his sudden action, and Ned whirled around to look at him with wide eyes, “ _ Dude!” _

 

She furrowed her brow, hesitated before slowly approaching, sitting across from them. “Thank you,” she mumbled shyly, picking up her apple and taking small bites.

 

Ned could only stare, clearly unsure of what to do or say. She appeared confused as well, her eyes downcast as she ate, perhaps afraid of being ridiculed. In turn, Peter wasn't sure what to say, either, merely opting to remain silent.

 

They remained like that until the bell rang. 

 

\---

 

By the time the dismissal bell rang, signifying the end of an agonizing first day, Annemarie wanted nothing more than to go home, crawl under her blankets and never come out ever again. She tried to bring herself to talk to others, only to look away or find them already looking at her and sniggering. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but either way, Annemarie’s hopes for a brighter year were already dashed as she walked out of the building, bag in tow and her hair hiding her face. She brushed past groups of friends loudly gossiping and began her trek to the train station. 

 

The ride was quiet, and this time she actually had a seat, but Annemarie didn’t particularly feel like reading. Instead, she huddled deeper into herself, hoping that her brother would be home by the time she arrived. Maybe he could give her pointers on how to actually be social--she was too shy, too awkward, and too doubtful of herself. Adam was always better at making friends anyway.

 

By the time she got off at her stop and made the trek to her apartment building, she was already pulling out her keys, and when she knocked on her apartment door a part of her hoped Adam would answer. After three knocks and no answer, Annemarie sighed and let herself in, finding an empty apartment covered in silence. She sighed, dropped her bag on the couch before heading to the kitchen, finding two notes pinned to the door with little Star Trek magnets. One was from Adam, in his sloppy chicken scratch handwriting, pinned under the Enterprise magnet,

 

_ Hey, Anne! Hope your day was super effing great! In case you get home before Mom does, let her know I’m going out with some new friends tonight. Karaoke and drinks, here I come!! I should be home by midnight. Mom, if you’re home first and reading this, I promise not to get drunk. Also. Don’t worry, I have condoms. Love you guys! Adam. _

 

Annemarie shuddered at the implications Adam left as her eyes traveled to the next note. Underneath a tiny Spock magnet was a note from her mother,

 

_ Hey guys! Got a call this morning before I got to work. There’s going to be an important meeting so I’ll be staying late tonight. I should be home by eight. There are hamburger patties in the fridge already seasoned and prepped, just pop them in the oven. I also left twenty dollars in case you cause a kitchen accident, Adam. I hope your days were wonderful. Text or call if anything. Love you! Mom xo _

 

Annemarie eyed the clock on the cable box in the den. 3:57 in the afternoon. She was going to be alone for four hours. Normally, it would have been exhilarating to be alone, but after a long day of nothing but being alone, it was disheartening to come home to an empty apartment. Sighing, she grabbed her bag, got started on her homework. She finished in forty-five minutes, most of it coming easy to her. She managed to prepare herself a burger, eating it quietly as she scrolled through the channels on TV, nothing remotely interesting piquing her interest. She finally shut off the TV, heading to her room to go on her laptop. While she waited for that to boot up, she prepared another burger, searching the fridge for something to drink. She huffed in annoyance at the sight of the canned sodas her mother bought three days ago--or rather, lack thereof. Adam must have drank them all in his huge bottomless black hole of an appetite constantly dictating he needed a drink with his food. She settled for water from the sink, making a mental note to head out to the grocery store to buy more soda. 

 

She watched a few short science documentaries, lamely eating and drinking her water for a bit before settling for that trip to the store. Putting her computer in hibernate, she went to the kitchen, grabbed her phone and her keys, stuffing them in a black wristlet wallet, along with the twenty her mother had left behind. She headed out, noticing the sun was beginning to set. She began walking the short three-block walk, turning the corner to see the small grocery store that was open twenty-four hours. 

 

She was just about to head inside when suddenly, three young men turned the corner, running as fast as they could. They all wore black masks, one of them holding a bag of who knew what. By the time Annemarie noticed the police officers turn the corner to pursue the men, she was suddenly seized by her hair, her hat falling off and her wristlet crashing to the ground. Due to the unexpected nature of the situation, Annemarie let out a yelp, partially in shock and also partially in pain as one of the men yanked her hair so her neck was exposed, and she felt her heart race at the feeling of a cold metal blade pressing against her throat. Many passerby gasped, screamed, began running away as the police stopped, holding up their guns.

 

“Back off, assholes!” The man holding her ordered, “Back off or I slit this little girl’s throat!”

 

Her eyes grew wide, and the tears fell. She just wanted to get to the grocery store. She didn’t want this. She never wanted this. She tried to break free, but his hold tightened as he began tugging her backwards into an alleyway, perhaps to ensure his escape.

 

“Drop your weapon and let the girl go,  _ now _ !” One of the cops demanded. 

 

“Back off first!” The man shot back, yanking her even further. She whimpered, suddenly paralyzed by the fear that  _ she was going to die.  _ It was the only thought running through her head as she was yanked further and further away from her path, and she could only mumble, “P--please--please let me go…”

 

“Naw, girlie, this is too much fun,” the man mumbled sickly in her ear, causing an involuntary shudder down her spine. She only cried harder, and the tears had blurred her vision, so she didn’t see the sudden figure swinging down from a rooftop, sweeping downwards and landing on the closed dumpster by them.

 

“Aw,  _ hell _ no, not this Spidey guy…” the man holding her mumbled. She heard panicked voices behind them, then her kidnapper yelling, “Really, guys?! You’re gonna run--ah, hell, worthless assholes! Anyway, back off, Spidey! Unless you want to see this girlie get cut!”

 

Fresh tears fell, but her vision was no longer blurry as she saw the strangest sight before her. On top of the dumpster was a red and blue, hoodie and sweatpants clad, mask and goggle wearing….what? Annemarie blinked in surprise, still trembling. She hissed as the blade pressed further against her skin.

 

“Hey, hey, that’s no way to treat a lady!” The strange person said, and Annemarie realized it was a boy from his voice. “Let her go, man, or I’ll have to get pretty angry.”

 

“You ain’t the Hulk, pretty boy,” the man hissed, “now back off!”

 

It all happened to fast after that. The knife was suddenly gone from her neck, and the man threw her aside, causing her to slam into the brick wall. In a panic, Annemarie crawled to hide behind the dumpster, covering her ears and closing her eyes, not wanting to know what was going to happen. Who knew what that crazy guy was going to do to that poor, oddly dressed wearing boy. She began to cry even more, wishing the poor boy hadn’t gotten involved. What if he got hurt? What if the man overpowered him and stabbed him with that knife? What if--

 

\--she let out a scream when she felt hands on her arms, trying to pull her hands away from her ears. Blindly, she began swinging, not wanting to be captured or killed or--

 

“Hey, whoa, easy there, cutie!” The voice that spoke was significantly younger, around her age. She stopped, blinked, and her eyes met the familiar odd-looking goggles of the weirdly dressed boy. She froze then, trembling as she swallowed. Absently, she noted that behind him, the man who’d held her captive was out cold, the knife beside him. 

 

“Hey, hey, look at me,” the boy suddenly had his hands on her face, making her meet his eyes--or rather, the goggles. “Hey, focus. What’s your name?”

 

She hiccuped, barely spoke, “A--Annemarie…”

 

“Pretty name for a pretty girl, huh? Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

 

“N--no...just…” she couldn’t speak anymore, merely sniffled.

 

“Okay,” the boy spoke softly, perhaps as not to make her even more nervous and rattled, “Annemarie, right? Listen, the cops are gonna be here any minute. Do you want me to stay with you until the cops come? I have to go one they do, though. They’re, uh, not very fond of me…what do you say?”

 

She shook her head at the thought of the blaring sirens, the flashing lights, the millions of questions, how worried and terrified her mother and Adam would be. “N--no, no cops...I--I wanna go home. Please, I just want to go home…”

 

The boy cocked his head to one side, surprised at her reply, “You sure? You seem pretty rattled…”

 

“Please, I just want to go home.” It was then she realized, “My phone. My wallet.”

 

“I’ll get them. Where did you drop them?”

 

She pointed down the alleyway, where the sirens blared and she heard cops yelling, “Some--somewhere around there…”

 

“Okay.” He moved suddenly, as if to leave, but Annemarie eyed the unconscious man and seized the boy’s forearm, stopping him, “No! Please--please don’t leave me. Please.”

 

He stopped, knelt down again as he rested a hand on her shoulder, stroked her hair, “Okay, I won’t. But if you don’t want to see the cops, we’ve got to go now. I’ll take you home, and I’ll make sure I get your stuff, okay? Where do you live?”

 

For a moment, Annemarie felt relief at the thought of this nameless masked boy saving her life. He’d risked his life for hers when she was sure he didn’t have to. It was then her logic kicked in, freshly rebooting from its panicked shutdown, as she realized just that-- _ he was a nameless, masked boy.  _ And he was asking where she lived. She shook her head, demanded, “No--no, no, who are you, why do you want to--!”

 

“--Annemarie, I’m a friend. I promise. I just want to help you.”

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I’m…” he hesitated, his head lowering as if in thought. Finally, after a beat, he looked up at her again, and she could tell from the sound of his voice that he was smiling, 

 

“I’m just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”

 

She eyed the strange, clearly spray-painted design on the front of his sweatshirt, a web with a single spider in the middle. The absurdity of the situation caused her to giggle, and she spoke at last, “Spider-Man?”

 

“Yep! At your service, m’lady!” He leaned in, lowered his voice to a confidential whisper, “Now, we’ve gotta go if you don’t want the guys in blue to find us. Grab onto me. Do  _ not  _ let go. Hold on tight. Got it?”

 

He helped her up, suddenly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. Absently, Annemarie noticed that he smelled good for a sweater-wearing, bummy-looking masked boy, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted his free arm, and she noticed a strange, black contraption around his wrist. He pressed something, and a single white strand of--was that  _ webbing _ ?--shot out, hitting a rooftop overhead. She blinked in surprise as she asked, “Wait, why? What are we--?”

 

Her question transformed into another surprised yelp as they were suddenly off the ground, swinging overhead past the cops, over innocent people, and they were swinging past buildings, where the cars down below seemed smaller and insignificant. Annemarie looked down briefly before vertigo set in, the world below her suddenly whirling and spiraling, and she closed her eyes tight, holding onto the boy for dear life as she yelled out, “How are you doing this?!”

 

“It’s a secret, but you’re kinda cutting off my air supply!” he yelled back. Annemarie started, loosened her grip just a bit, “Sorry!”

 

By the time they landed on some rooftop, Annemarie relished in the feeling of solid ground underneath her feet. However, she wasn’t quite ready to let go of the masked boy, who ran his hands down her arms as he studied her in an attempt to see if she was all right. She was dizzy and overwhelmed, and she still wasn’t even sure where they ended up.

 

The boy began to let go, “Okay, Annemarie...you can stay right here, and I’ll search for your stuff and come right back, okay?”

 

Just as his hands left her, the dizziness came full force, causing her to stumble. He reacted quickly, “Whoaaaa, okay. Easy...hey, focus. It’s kind of a rush, I know, but you need to center yourself, okay?” He had her face again, made her meet his eyes. “Look at me...breathe... _ thereeee  _ you go…”

 

The world came back into focus, and she slowly relaxed, letting go of him. He backed away slowly, towards the edge of the roof. For a split second, she panicked, “Wait! You’ll fall!”

 

“Me? Nah, I’m good. Tell me what I need to look for and I’ll get it for you!”

 

“Um...a black wristlet with a Star Trek keychain...and...um…” She bit her lip at her last, rather silly, request, “A black bowler hat? It was a gift from my grandmother…”

 

“Star Trek keychain, black wristlet and a cute hat? Gotcha. Back in a flash!” 

 

And he was off, swinging on those webs as if they were made of steel, able to hold him up without any problem. She ran, followed him with her eyes until he was gone, and she found herself amazed.

 

_ How the hell did he DO all of that…? _

 

As quickly as he disappeared, several minutes later Annemarie spotted him swinging back, and by the time he landed effortlessly on his feet, she found herself asking, “So what is it?”

 

He cocked his head to one side, “Huh?”

 

“Spectra fiber? Nickel-based alloy? I know for a fact your... _ whatever _ those are...don’t have real spider silk.”

 

He paused for a brief moment before replying, “Uh...uh...top secret! Anyway, are these your stuff, m’lady?” He held up a hand, where he held her familiar wristlet and her hat. Her heart soared at the sight of the hat, and she grabbed them, briefly checking her wristlet. Everything, including her phone (which was thankfully not broken), was present and accounted for. “Yes!” She sighed in relief before looking at him, “Thank you so very much.”

 

“Not a problem!” He offered a hand, “Now direct me to your residential quarters, m’lady. I simply cannot leave a cute girl waiting.” He gave the most awkward British accent, causing her to giggle. She prattled off her address before grabbing onto him once again. By the time she got used to the flying feeling she was already at her fire escape, recognizing the safe confines of her bedroom. She opened her window, crawled in, eyed her clock. It was 6:45. She knew her mother and Adam weren’t home yet. She sighed, realized she had made it home safely. She turned, found the masked boy crouched on her fire escape. Suddenly, her heart filled with overwhelming relief and gratitude and she blurted out, “You saved my life.”

 

“Yeah, that’s uh, kinda my job…” He was shy all of a sudden, resting a hand on the back of his neck. She found it oddly endearing, and she replied, “Thank you very much, Spider-Man.”

 

“Uh...sure, no problem. Just...stay safe, okay?”

 

She nodded, “Oh, believe me, I will. I’m not looking to get killed any time soon.”

 

He actually chuckled, and she tried not to pay attention to how her heart fluttered at that. “Well, uh...I guess...I’ll see you ‘round, huh?”

 

“I hope so,” it came out before she could stop herself, “Be careful, Spider-Man.”

 

In the blink of an eye, he was off. Annemarie stuck her head out her window, watching him go. 

 

She was still watching long after he’d turned a corner and disappeared.

 

\---

 

Peter effortlessly swung into his bedroom without anyone seeing him, ripped off his mask and goggles and was just getting to the rest of his suit before he heard his Aunt May’s voice call out from the kitchen,

 

“Peter? Did you fall asleep at your desk again? Dinner’s ready!”

 

His eyes widened at the sound of her approaching footsteps down the hall, and he was blindly ripping off his suit, tripping over his feet several times in the process as he managed to get it off, practically throwing it in the laundry basket and stuffing a bunch of socks and old t-shirts over it to hide it. He slammed the lid over the laundry basket just as his door swung open, revealing May wearing an apron and holding a giant wooden spoon stained with tomato sauce. He straightened up quickly, rested his hands on his hips, “Hey, May,” he greeted as casually as he could muster.

 

May raised an eyebrow at the sight of her nephew in only his boxers. “I...made spaghetti and meatballs, Peter. You ready to eat or not?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be ready in a sec. I just, uh...need to put on my pajamas...yeah.”

 

She nodded, “You certainly do...I’ll wait for you, okay, tough guy?”

 

“You got it, May.” 

 

As soon as May left and he heard she was at a safe distance, he breathed out a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the floor as he ran his hands through his hair. He just barely made it back this time. As soon as he’d heard about the jewel thieves escaping police custody, he knew he had to take action. He just hadn’t expected to save a  _ girl from his school.  _ The very same girl he had Chemistry with, who he was surprised to see had some semblance of what his webs might be made of.

 

_ Damn, she’s smart… _ , he thought, thankful Annemarie didn’t know him well enough to gauge his identity. He was happy he managed to save her, though. She seemed pretty grateful, too. Maybe this time the news wouldn’t claim he was a menace to New York streets. Breathing another sigh, Peter pulled out the first shirt and pair of pajama pants he could find, tugging them on before heading into the kitchen, where May gave a bright smile, “Finally! Was practically drooling over my food, you took so long…”

 

As she served him a plate, she continued, “You got so quiet in your room, I thought you fell asleep over your homework. Everything okay?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s great, everything’s just fine…” Peter mumbled, keeping his eyes carefully trained on his plate. He tried not to eye the empty seat next to May. The empty seat at the head of the table. He tried to focus on his plate and not how there were two plates served when there should have been three.

 

May frowned at his sudden withdrawal before her eyes dimmed in realization, and she sighed, “You know...we could always eat in the den.”

 

Sometimes it scared him how perceptive his aunt could get at times. He managed to stutter out, “Uh, n--no, it’s fine, I’m--I’m good…”

 

“You sure?” 

 

“Yeah. Yeah, yeah…” He nodded quickly before he began to eat.

 

May let out another sigh before sitting, beginning to eat as well. They ate in an awkward silence before she finally asked, 

 

“So...how was school today?”

 

\---

 

After spending a good chunk of her night researching and gathering as much information about the Spider-Man as she could, Annemarie awoke to a newfound excitement the following day, cheerfully eating breakfast and even singing to herself. Her mother and Adam had exchanged a strange glance, but opted not to remark on her sudden change in demeanor. Even the train ride didn’t seem too bad, Annemarie even got a lucky seat in the process. However, she was too excited to read her book, opting instead to read the newspaper she’d picked up from the table before she left. Sure enough, on the front page was a blurry photo of the masked Spider-Man swinging from the buildings of New York. However, the headline made her frown.

 

_ Accomplice in Arms: Masked Menace Assists in Jewel Heist _

 

“ _ What _ ?” Annemarie gasped out, immediately beginning to read the article. Of course, most of it was speculation and public opinion, telling Spider-Man to quit butting his webbed head in situations the cops handled and to leave the cops to do their jobs. The article left Annemarie so disgusted she ruffled the paper and rolled it up viciously, only to start upon seeing a familiar face standing over her, holding on to the metal pole above them. She recognized him as the boy she’d shared Chemistry class with, the boy who’d helped her open her locker, the boy who lent her a pencil the day before, the boy she’d awkwardly sat at a lunch table with. He seemed a bit surprised at her sudden gesture, his dark eyes wide and his glance almost questioning.

 

She didn’t want to leave this as yet another awkward silence. “This stupid article,” she blurted out in disgust, holding up the paper, “says that Spider-Man is a public menace.”

 

He blinked, almost surprised she even spoke to him, “Uh...wha--really? T--that’s kind of something, gotta say…”

 

“It’s  _ wrong,  _ that’s what it is,” she continued, clearly passionate about the subject, “Do you  _ know  _ that ever since Spider-Man emerged a few months ago, crime rates actually  _ dropped  _ by forty percent?! Police actually don’t need to endanger their lives anymore, because most of the time? Spider-Man’s already done  _ half  _ the work they should be doing! And he doesn’t even get a  _ thanks _ ? What a load of  _ crap _ !”

 

The boy merely blinked in response. Despite logic telling her to shut up, that he wasn’t interested in what she had to say, that maybe he’d think she was  _ weird,  _ Annemarie continued on her verbal tirade,

 

“I was  _ there  _ yesterday, okay?! Spider-Man actually  _ helped  _ me. I  _ saw  _ him stop the thieves! Two of them ran away, heck! And yet this stupid…” She briefly looked down to the title of the paper, only to continue, “... _ Daily Bugle  _ says that he’s a  _ menace _ ? That is  _ so _ stupid! If  _ anything _ , the city should be  _ thanking  _ him! For risking his life when he doesn’t  _ have  _ to! For taking a stand against criminals without carrying a stupid  _ badge _ ! For doing  _ at least seventy-seven percent  _ of what the stupid  _ cops  _ need to do! Maybe, instead of  _ antagonizing  _ this public  _ hero,  _ this stupid paper should focus on the  _ facts,  _ the  _ statistics,  _ and realize that  _ Spider-Man is making the city a safer place. _ Can you  _ believe  _ that crap?!”

 

By the time she finished her tirade she realized she was standing up, her face inches from the boy’s, and that their train had stopped at the stop they needed to get off on. It was then she realized how ridiculous she sounded, how  _ weird  _ she must have seemed, and her cheeks heated up in pure embarrassment.

 

Peter blinked in amazement at her sudden verbal onslaught. It was the most he’d heard her speak since he first encountered her, a simple smile on the train. He watched as her cheeks grew a bright pink, and her eyes quickly left his, and she stuttered out, “Um...um, I’m sorry...I should go!”

 

She brushed past him and got off the train, disappearing in a sea of people. After a brief pause, Peter caught himself, got off the train before the doors could close. 

  
He couldn’t resist the small, impressed smile that tugged at his lips.


	6. Act

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe the feedback I got for the last chapter! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story, it's such a humbling experience! I'm super critical of my stuff, so I almost never see the good. Anyways, here we have another update! I hope you guys enjoy! Much love and appreciation to you all!

She barely looked at him during Chemistry, her face buried in her notes as the teacher prattled on. She wrote and wrote, pausing occasionally, only to continue feverishly writing, her notes a neat, flowery cursive in blue ink. Her hair hid her face, as did her hat. The only giveaway that she was clearly still embarrassed was her ears, a bright and vivid pink. Peter tried to think of the right words to say to get her talking. She was smart, she was cool, and she  _ supported Spider-Man.  _ The smile tugged at his lips again and he forced himself to remain serious. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn’t want to say anything stupid or give away his identity.  _ That  _ wouldn’t end well. Besides, she seemed nice from what he’d seen of her, as himself and as his alter-ego. Maybe she wouldn’t mind if he talked to her.

 

_ Or maybe she thinks you’re a total loser,  _ Peter thought glumly, resting his chin on his hand as he wrote down his notes. He was so into the lecture that he actually jumped when the bell rang, and the shuffle began once again. He grabbed his stuff, got up, bumped into none other than Liz Allan herself as she walked down the aisle just as he entered it. She had let out a yelp, only to look him  _ right in the eyes  _ and smile apologetically, “Sorry!” she uttered quickly before leaving class.  _ She talked to me.  _ Peter was so lost in his daze of amazement that he almost didn’t hear a quiet voice call him, 

 

“Um, hey…”

 

His eyes went from watching Liz saunter down the hallway to the tiny voice at the desk, the voice belonging to the girl he knew as Annemarie. She was looking up at him, but her eyes quickly met the desk as she mumbled, “So, um...I wanted to--to apologize. For my stupid rant earlier. Y--you probably don’t care, anyway...so...I’msorryforbeingweird,” she rambled quickly before getting up, brushing past him and scurrying off to class. 

 

Peter merely watched in surprise.  _ She  _ thought  _ she  _ was being weird? He wished he’d reacted quicker then, wished he’d told her she wasn’t being weird at all, that she made sense. Instead, he sighed, began his trek to his next class. 

 

\---

 

Annemarie didn’t go to lunch. Instead, she went to the library, ignoring her growling stomach for a seat in front of one of the library’s computers, writing a strongly worded e-mail to the Daily Bugle. She began her testimony against the article, trying to say that Spider-Man was  _ not,  _ in fact, a villain of New York City. She was already three paragraphs into her essay when she lost her nerve, sighing to herself as she hit the Backspace key, holding it until the wall of text completely disappeared. She buried her face in her hands, urging herself to think rationally.

 

Spider-Man rescued her  _ only once.  _ Besides, she really didn’t know anything about him. Like what was his name, who was he really under the mask,  _ why was he even wearing a mask in the first place?  _ Besides, she thought painfully, who would listen to  _ her _ ? A fifteen-year-old nobody, freshly moved from Orange County, California? Logically, she knew her testimony would be tossed in the garbage pile before it was even looked at. And even if someone did read it, it would immediately be dismissed as a personal bias, seeing as she personally interacted with the masked man. Annemarie groaned, feeling helpless as she logged out of her e-mail, ended up surfing the Net. She felt ridiculous. Why couldn’t she go to college and just be invested in learning? Why couldn’t she stick to going to Dr. Connors’ class every Saturday and just be homeschooled and not worry about being a complete idiot around other people?

 

Like that boy. Annemarie sighed again, tried not to replay the painfully awkward moment in her head. How ridiculous she must’ve sounded to him, a boy who only spoke to her a handful of times. How could she be so stupid? He probably thought she was weird and pathetic and obsessed with the masked hero.  _ Heck, maybe I am.  _

 

She briefly averted her gaze from the computer screen, her eyes hurting, and she glanced at the front desk, where the librarian, a thin and mousy woman, was reading--of course--the Daily Bugle article. Annemarie felt annoyance prick at her nerves.  _ Seriously,  _ did everyone actually believe he was a public menace? There had to be a way to rectify this, or at the very least, get another opinion out there: like how Spider-Man was a hero, how he saved innocent lives when he didn’t have to. She huffed, some of her hair caught in the breeze as it fluttered out, only to kiss her cheek once more.

 

Annemarie bit her lip, almost contemplated writing that strong e-mail after all, when suddenly, one of her classmates entered the library. She recognized him--a big, heavy-set boy in flannel and khakis, someone she had first period English with. She remembered from roll call that his name was Ned Leeds, and it was then she came up with an idea. Bursting out of her seat, Annemarie marched up to him, emboldened by her new conviction. He eyed her strangely as she stopped in front of him, chirping out, “You’re Ned, right? We have English together.”

 

He didn’t look weirded out by her in particular. Instead, he almost looked shocked she had spoken to him. “Uh...uh...y--yeah, I’m Ned…” He replied awkwardly, clutching his books together.

 

“So, quick question, Ned. I’ve overheard some of your conversations--sorry about that, by the way, you just talk  _ really _ loud in class--and you’re apparently the editor of the school newspaper?” she tried not to let her shyness drown out her voice as she continued, keeping her arms crossed and head held high in an attempt to seem cool and relaxed. 

 

Ned nodded, “Yeah...and our teacher also helps us out, y’know? That’s why...I talk to him a lot after class…”

 

“Mr. Friedman? Yeah, he’s cool. But, since you write the newspaper, tell me--do you accept articles submitted by other students? Or do you just write your own?” Annemarie asked.

 

Ned blinked, surprised at where the conversation was going, “Um...I mean, we do accept submissions...but, uh...it’s mostly the staff. Which, honestly, only consists of me, one other reporter, and three photographers...it’s, uh...not much,” he added sheepishly.

 

The statement surprised Annemarie, “Really?” She bit her lip, thought briefly before boldly proclaiming,

 

“Well, meet your third reporter.” She stuck out a hand, and he took it as she shook it vigorously, “My name is Annemarie Abbey, and I’ve got one heck of a story for you!”

 

\---

 

Peter almost jumped out of his skin when he slammed his locker door shut at the end of the day to find Ned standing behind it, his eyes wide and shocked as he stared down the hallway, where Annemarie had began walking to the stairwell, disappearing after about two minutes. He eyed Peter in horror, and for a moment, he worried, “What the hell happened to you, man?”

 

“She did,” Ned whispered, nodding in the direction of where Annemarie left. Peter raised an eyebrow, followed his gaze, “What’re you talking about, man?”

 

“She  _ talked to me,  _ dude. She actually talked to me!” Ned exclaimed, finally meeting Peter’s eyes, “Like...I went to the library after we had lunch, right? I wanted to get started on the opening articles for the paper. And then,  _ she was there, dude.  _ In the library, and she just came up to me and started talking to me. And dude...I didn’t gather everything she said but  _ holy shit, she’s gonna be at the meeting today. Do you want to know why, Pete? She’s joining the paper, man! Annemarie, a solid eight, wants to join the paper?”  _ He looked amazed, completely excited as he continued, “Dude, she’s the  _ only  _ girl on the team! And she  _ wanted  _ to join, dude! She says she’s got a hell of a story, and I’m more than happy to hear it!!”

 

Peter wasn’t sure how to react to Ned’s bursting excitement. He found it hard to believe that someone so shy and so quiet wanted to actually join the school newspaper. But then again, he smirked as he thought about her morning rant, it didn’t actually surprise him. 

 

However, it made things complicated. She couldn’t possibly pursue Spider-Man  _ this  _ badly...could she? He swallowed nervously at the potential risks, his camera in hand as he smacked Ned on the back, “Come on, snap out of it. You’ve got to be there for the meeting, right?”

 

Ned briefly eyed him, “Huh? Oh...oh, yeah, yeah! We should get going! Mr. Friedman’s gonna be waiting!”

 

By the time the two entered the empty classroom, the staff was already there. The other two photographers, Brian and Larry, sat awkwardly next to Annemarie, who sat tall and proud, her hat off and her eyes determined. On her right, the second reporter, Dave, looked shocked at the sight of her. 

 

“Finally, the man himself,” Mr. Friedman grinned. He was a tall man, fairly young, perhaps in his early thirties, with black hair, blue eyes and thin-rimmed glasses. “Well, Ned, you didn’t tell us about the newest addition.”

 

Annemarie looked at them, her eyes widening a fraction upon seeing Peter. Her cheeks tinted pink for the briefest of moments before she quickly looked away, eyeing Mr. Friedman instead of where he and Ned stood. 

 

“Uh…” Ned regained his composure before proclaiming, “....everyone, this is our new reporter. Uh...Annemarie Abbey. She...uh...has a story for our first issue next week. So, uh...right?” He looked towards her, and she turned, her eyes steely once more as she nodded, “Yup. I’ve already got a draft for this article.

 

“I propose that our first article be about the newest masked superhero to the scene, the Spider-Man. I’ve been reading news articles from the Internet and mostly from the Daily Bugle, a newspaper we all read and trust, and all I see are negative connotations to Spider-Man.  _ I  _ think, seeing as we’re a newspaper ourselves, that  _ we  _ can change public perception of him.”

 

There was a mumble among the staff, and Peter tried very hard not to give himself away as he began fiddling with the strap of his camera. Ned swallowed, cleared his throat before replying, “But, we’re just a school paper...we can’t just market to the public...we don’t even have like...real licenses and stuff…”

 

“It doesn’t matter!” Annemarie protested, “This newspaper goes to  _ every _ student in the school, right? And some people happen to read them! I think that we can start off small by writing about just how Spider-Man has actually  _ helped  _ the city. Statistically, our demographic outnumbers the majority of adults over forty. Plus, we also grew up with the age of technology and social media. I personally think, if we play our cards right, this article can change the students’ perception of Spider-Man. And if we change the students  _ perception _ ,” her eyes were bright with excitement now as she pulled out her draft from a folder, “ _ they _ can get the word out. Social media. Facebook. Instagram. YouTube. Twitter. The hashtag for Spider-Man alone is used at  _ least  _ four thousand times per hour. Four  _ thousand _ ! I personally disagree with the article the Daily Bugle posted, and I think it’ll be a strong and amazing start to the paper’s status this year!”

 

Mr. Friedman nodded, impressed as he ran a hand over his chin in thought, “Well, Annemarie, that  _ is  _ one powerful proposal. Though, I’ve got to ask, where are your sources?”

 

“Of course, a good reporter needs a source,” Annemarie crossed her arms, pretended to be big and confident as she proclaimed, “Because I happened to be rescued by the masked man himself yesterday, and I spoke to him.”   
  


Peter’s eyes grew wide as everyone else gasped, and they all sat even closer to her, clearly hungry for more. Ned threw himself into the seat across from her, demanding,

 

“Tell. Us.  _ Everything. _ ”

 

Annemarie began to speak, only to be bombarded with questions from her fellow students,

 

“Was he cool?”

 

“Does he actually shoot webs?”

 

“What does he look like?”

 

“All right, everyone, calm down,” Mr. Friedman laughed, held up his hands as he tempered the eager boys.

 

Annemarie blinked, her cheeks heating up at the sight of the boys all eyeing her. Suddenly, her confidence dwindled, and she was stupid and brash and silly again. She looked down, bit her lip, “Um...he just saved me, is all...he was nice…I never saw his face…”

 

Peter frowned at how she withdrew, and despite himself, he blurted out, “So is he as cool as everyone says?”

 

Her eyes met his in surprise, and Peter felt himself stiffen at how she looked so shocked. They regarded each other for a few tense moments before suddenly, she visibly relaxed, gave a gentle smile before nodding, “ _ Super _ cool. He--he made sure I was safe. I--didn’t want to be questioned by the cops after one of the thieves tried to hurt me. So...um...I know it’s hard to believe, but I really think Spider-Man isn’t a bad guy.”

 

Mr. Friedman nodded in approval, “Well, let’s see your draft, Annemarie. Also, Ned, don’t you have editor duties to do?” He raised a sly eyebrow as Ned practically gaped at her. Ned jumped before clearing his throat, “Uh, sure! Annemarie, uh...since you’re gonna be with us, just know meetings are every Tuesday and Thursday from dismissal to five in the evening. Every issue is released every Friday.  I’ll give you all our phone numbers so we can keep in touch in regards to any ideas. Also, since you’re our third reporter, I’ll assign you a photographer. We like to keep them together so while you report or write, your photographer provides pictures, video, and so on…” He paused, eyed his staff. “Dave’s got Brian as his help and I’ve got Larry most of the time with Peter being backup...but since you’re our third, I guess that leaves you with Peter.”

 

So that was the boy’s name! Annemarie shyly eyed him, remembering the numerous awkward situations between them. “Um...okay. Cool.”

 

Ned was already reading her draft when she approached Peter, nervously fiddling with his camera, an old-looking specimen. She wondered if it was actually vintage or was new and just appeared that way. She cleared her throat, and he met her eyes, he looked almost nervous.

 

“So...you’re Peter, right?” She asked.

 

He nodded, “Yeah, that’s Peter--I mean, that’s--that’s me…”

 

She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat as she sheepishly mumbled, “You must think I’m a total loser. From, like, ranting to you on the train and just being completely crazy to you in class earlier--I’m really sorry for being weird…”

 

“W--what? N--no, I don’t think that!” Peter sputtered, “I--I kind of got what you were saying, y’know, about...Spider-Man and all,” he mumbled the last part quickly. “I don’t...I don’t think he’s a bad guy, either…” He said, trying very hard not to look into her eyes too much.

 

“Really?” She asked eagerly, “Great! Then that means you and I will work well together! So...um...I mean...I’m Annemarie…” She trailed as she realized, “Anddddd you already know that because Ned said my name already...geez…sorry…”

 

_ Actually, I’ve known before that,  _ Peter thought, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, “No, it’s--it’s fine...um...Annemarie. It’s, uh...a nice name…”

 

_ A nice name? Geez, Parker, you’re such a loser… _

 

She blinked in surprise, “Oh. Um...thanks,” she chuckled nervously, “So...um...do you mind if I shoot some ideas about any accompanying photos with my article?”

 

“Sure, no problem…”

 

\---

 

“I’m in love,” Ned dreamily proclaimed as he and Peter walked to the train together after an eventful first meeting. He held up Annemarie’s draft, “Seriously, beauty, brains,  _ and  _ gifted in the written word. She’s a total catch, Pete.”

 

“You’ve only just met her, man…” Peter mumbled, looking around in case the girl in question appeared. Sure enough, she was just leaving the school, waving a happy goodbye to Mr. Friedman before noticing them. She waved, “Hey, guys! Wait up!”

 

Ned visibly tensed as they stopped. Annemarie eagerly ran to them, a shy smile on her face, “So, um, Ned...you never said what you thought of my article.” 

 

“It’s fantastic,” Ned blurted out, “You’re a great writer, Annemarie.”

 

And her cheeks went pink once again, “Thanks! I really hope we can change public perception of Spider-Man. I hope you don’t mind having me on your team.”

 

“It’s not a problem, we need extra help. And I agree, I think maybe focusing on Spider-Man will help this paper flourish,” Ned happily agreed, oblivious to his friend’s shocked stare next to him. It was then her eyes met Peter’s, and she said, “I’ll text you, Peter. I’ll keep you updated on whatever I’ve got! We need to stick together, you know!”

 

It took a moment for Peter to register she was now addressing him. He quickly recovered, “Uh, yeah…yeah, definitely…”

 

This wasn’t going to end well. Peter was already panicking at the potential danger this situation had. What if Annemarie found out his identity and told the whole school? What if he was ridiculed and other criminals started finding him? Her drive was dangerous, and Peter didn’t know how to stop it. He tried to keep cool as she asked, 

 

“Would you mind if we walked together? I need the same train as you guys…”

 

“Sure,” both boys said in unison. 

 

“Jinx!” she suddenly chirped, pointing at them both. There was an awkward pause as she bit her lip, muttered, “Um...that happens when two or more people talk at the same time...and say the same thing...so...um...one of you owes the other a soda. Because, um...jinx...you owe me a soda…?” She frowned as they watched her cluelessly. “You guys never heard that joke…? Um, never mind,” she finished quickly, “shall we get going?”

 

_ They must think I’m so weird... _

 

\---

 

After finishing her homework, Annemarie found herself staring at a blank page on her laptop, wondering precisely how to fix and polish the first draft of her article. Ned had given it back, saying it didn’t need much editing, but her own self-doubt gnawed at her and here she was, wondering how to make her piece effective without coming off like a pathetic fangirl. Her fingers paused over the keyboard as her mind tried to come up with the right words. 

 

She managed to write a decent first paragraph, only to hit a block again as she sighed, studied her first draft again. She kept her chin in her hand as she read and reread her draft, feeling more and more ridiculous by the second. The way she wrote it, it sounded almost as if she had a crush on the web-slinger. She felt her cheeks heat up at that thought, quickly brushing it aside. That wasn’t possible. She only encountered him once! No, she was simply grateful to him for saving her life that fateful day, that was all! Annemarie bit her lip, made a decision as she whirled around, called out,

 

“Adam!”

 

There was a muffled  _ thud  _ from across the hall, and then his loud footsteps as he opened his bedroom door, poked his head in hers. His eyes were expectant and his hair was messy and poking about in different directions. “What’s up, Anne of Green Gables?” He asked.

 

“You busy?” If anyone could give her an honest opinion (though veiled in teasing jabs and brotherly jokes), it was Adam. Besides, he could probably give her pointers on how to actually not be awkward in school. She hadn’t seen him much during the week--school had been taking him for a loop. Also, somehow, someway, he actually managed to find a steady group of friends to hang out with. He went out with them twice so far, coming home late. It was nice to see him home at a decent hour.

 

He entered her room completely, in his messy choice of pajamas: his old high school sweatshirt and gym shorts. “Never too busy for my dumpling. What d’you need?”

 

“Well, I’m writing this article for my school’s newspaper,” Annemarie began, “And--!”

 

“--whoa, wait, hold on a second!” Adam held up his hands, “You joined a club?” he sounded almost shocked.

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes, “Yes. I joined the school newspaper and I’ve written an article and I want to see if you could maybe look at it and tell me if it needs more... _ oomph  _ to it, I guess?”

 

Adam paused, clearly still shocked. She sighed in impatience, “Despite what you may think, your sister  _ isn’t  _ as big a loser as you think. Now can you help me?”

 

He frowned then, a bit surprised at her remark, “I don’t think you’re a loser, Anne. It’s just...you never used to be social or anything back home.” He gave a genuine smile, “It’s good that you’re...y’know, doing stuff instead of just staying in your room.”

 

And now she felt horrible for snapping at him. Her behavior in Orange Country affected him, too, and she’d forgotten about that. She sighed, “I’m sorry, Adam. I just...well...can you just help me?”

 

“Sure,” Adam plopped down onto her purple bean bag chair, held out a hand. Annemarie wordlessly handed him her draft, and he quietly read for a solid five minutes. After he finished, a grin spread across his features, and he gave her teasing eyes, “Wellllll,  _ someone’s  _ got a thing for this Spider-Guy.” He raised his eyebrows.

 

That was all she needed to hear as her cheeks heated up once more. “N--no!!” Annemarie stubbornly protested, “I just--think he’s getting a bad rap. Don’t you think? Wait...what  _ do  _ you think of him, anyway?”

 

Adam shrugged, “Seems cool to me. I mean, I haven’t seen him doing all the weird shit the paper says. One of my friends, Doug, apparently bumped into him once. Said he was stopping some kind of like--mugging or something? He helped this old lady ‘cause this asshole was stealing her purse. So...meh, I don’t think he’s that bad.”

 

She nodded, relieved, “Great! So apart from that, is my article effective?”

 

Adam gave her another shrug, “You sound like you really like this guy, but I think it’s good. The only thing you’re missing is...testimonials, I guess? Maybe from other people? I’d say go around and interview people, maybe people he’s saved or people who claim to see him, or even just people who have an opinion. Like, you can use my opinion if you want. And maybe I can ask around for you tomorrow when I go to class.”

 

Gratitude filled her, “That’d be great, thank you! I can also probably ask people around in school!” She fished out her phone, “I’m gonna text Peter and see if he can get me a photo of--!”

 

“--whoaaaaaaaaa, whoa, whoa, whoa,  _ whoa _ !” Adam held up his hands dramatically before he leaned in, narrowed his eyes, “ _ Peter _ ?” He asked, a protective edge to his voice.

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes, “He’s the photographer assigned to help me during the school year for my articles. I write the stuff, he takes the pictures or video or whatever.”

 

“You’re on first name basis with him.”

 

“I  _ literally  _ just met him.” She replied, not blinking or missing a beat.

 

“Have you told Mom about him?”

 

“I  _ just  _ said I literally just met him.”

 

“Has he asked you out?”

 

“Would you  _ relax _ ?” Annemarie exclaimed, “I  _ just  _ met him and we’re just  _ working _ together! Besides, he probably thinks I’m weird anyway…” She frowned, thinking back to her silly tirade on the train. 

 

Adam didn’t miss it, “Why’s that?”

 

“I...sort of got really passionate about how Spider-Man is being antagonized, and I kind of...rambled in front of him?”

 

“Aw, Anne,” he groaned, “not everyone can listen to your rants like me and Mom can. But...well, did he outright say you were weird?”

 

“No. I just...I mean...I guess I just don’t want to be considered weird at school? I mean, I want to at least try to make some friends. And it’s like…” She lowered her gaze, “I don’t really know how…”

 

Adam regarded his sister, sighing as he reached over, patted her knee, “You’re overthinking it, Anne. It’s not that hard. Just be yourself.  _ I  _ like you just fine, and I’ve listened to you ramble since you were born!”

 

“Thanks,” Annemarie retorted dryly.

 

“Nah, I’m serious, you know? You’ve got drive and you get super passionate about things, and it’s great! Look how Connors just  _ immediately  _ thought you were smart and cool. I mean, if you just be yourself and everyone else sees what we see, then someone’s bound to love you. Just not in  _ that  _ way. No dating until you’re thirty.”

 

She giggled, “Thanks, Adam.” 

 

It was then an idea dawned upon her. She grabbed Adam’s hand, squeezed it in excitement, “Wait. I’m going to Dr. Connors’ lecture on Saturday!”

 

Adam looked confused, “Yeah, so?”

 

“I can ask  _ him  _ what he thinks about Spider-Man after lecture!” Annemarie burst out excitedly, “He’s a pretty big name at school, and I’m sure he has an opinion! And if people listen to someone as important as him, maybe  _ that’ll  _ help, too!”

 

Adam widened his eyes, “You’re on some type of crusade, aren’t you?”

 

“Yup! It’s going to be great! I can’t believe I almost forgot! Adam, you’re  _ brilliant _ !” she immediately hugged him before hurrying out to the kitchen for a snack. It was about to be an eventful night of writing.

 

Adam merely sat frozen in the middle of her room, only able to blurt out a weak  _ thanks  _ after she left.


	7. Anne Abbey and the Spidey Crusade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is a bit of a short chapter and I do apologize for that. However, this chapter DOES contain a whole lot of Peter and Annemarie scenes! Plus, the next chapter features our favorite adorable dork in his alter-ego once again, so prepare yourselves! Hope you guys enjoy!

Despite her mother calling her for breakfast twice the following morning, the excitement was too much for Annemarie as she paced around her room, still in her pajamas as she kept a pencil perched above her ear and her drafted article in her hands. She barely slept, but didn’t feel particularly tired--on the contrary, Annemarie was wide awake and more than prepared for the upcoming day. She had picked out her outfit, still lying limply on her bed, and by the time her mother knocked and gave her a plate of French toast to eat in her room, Annemarie was still going over intricate details of her article. Putting the draft down, Annemarie seized a notepad, began writing down potential candidates for her interviews.

 

“Let’s see...Adam, maybe Mom, myself of course...Dr. Connors when I see him Saturday…” She bit her lip in thought. A part of her grew queasy at the thought of asking her fellow students at school. What if they looked at her funny or laughed in her face? Perhaps she could just ask Ned and Peter their opinions and leave it at that. Annemarie huffed at that prospect.  _ If I want to be an effective reporter, I’ve got to not be so scared all the time… _

 

She let out another huff, taking a bite out of her French toast as she wrote down the names of classmates she remembered: Michelle, Ned, Peter, some girl named Liz...there was another kid named Eugene Thompson who preferred to be called Flash. As arrogant as he seemed in class, he commonly hooted about how cool Spider-Man was. She nodded to herself, added his name to the list. She added a few more names before glancing at her phone, gasping at the time.

 

“I’m gonna be late!” She squeaked, finishing the last of her breakfast before changing clothes, opting to not wear any makeup and tying her hair in a loose braid draped over one shoulder. She shuffled out of her room, colliding into Adam just as he was bursting out of his room, and they both groaned in pain before running down the hall.

 

“You two!” Wendy frowned as she shook her head at them, “Cooped up in your rooms!”

 

“Sorry, Mom!” Adam pecked his mother’s cheek, “Had to finish my paper! Love you!”

 

“Bye, honey!” Adam was gone before Wendy’s farewell left her lips. She sighed, kissed the top of her daughter’s head, “Bye, sweetie. Have a great day at school!”

 

“Later, Mom!” Annemarie chirped before leaving, slamming the door shut.

 

Wendy paused, sighing to herself before mumbling fondly, “Honestly, those two…”

 

“Oh no! I forgot something!” her daughter’s voice squealed, and suddenly the door was open, said daughter flying past her. 

 

And then she was running by again, her bowler hat on her head. “Bye, Mommyyyy!” she chirped one last time before the door slammed shut once again.

 

\---

 

The first person Annemarie tacked down was Peter, seeing as his locker was next to hers. She swallowed down her shyness and tried to play it as professional and cool as she could when he closed his locker to see her leaning against her locker, waiting for him. He jumped a little before giving her a small smile, “Hey, Annemarie.”

 

“Good morning, Peter!” she chirped out, “So, since we have a good ten minutes before first period, I was wondering if I could get a testimonial from you about your feelings about Spider-Man and what he’s done for the city!”

 

She certainly cut to the chase. Peter swallowed, stammered out, “Uh...I guess he’s...cool?”

 

“Cool…” Annemarie repeated, scribbling it down onto her notepad. She looked up at him, “Anything else? Like what he means to you? Do you feel he makes New York safer?”

 

She was far too chipper for the morning, but Peter oddly found it endearing. He shrugged, “Uh...I think he...tries his best to make his city a safer place to be. I feel like...he wants to do the right thing--’cause he’s got all these cool powers, see? And...he feels he can do something, y’know?”

 

_ It wasn’t a total lie, after all… _

 

She appeared impressed at his response before quickly writing it down, “I see...I like your response. So candid and so honest...thanks so much!” She moved to leave before stopping herself, “Oh!”

 

She touched his arm, “I have something to talk to you and Ned about at lunch. You aren’t going anywhere special, are you? Like the library or something?”

 

_ Depends on whether or not a robbery doesn’t happen or something…  _ “Uh, no…”

 

“Great! I’ve got  _ so  _ many ideas, and I can’t  _ wait  _ for you both to hear it!” Annemarie quickly spotted one of her potential candidates for her interviews and gave a grin before saying, “See you in Chemistry!”

 

As she hurried off, Peter let out a sigh. As much as he found her drive and determination cool, and he  _ definitely  _ wanted the media to get off his back, he really didn’t want to be  _ this  _ close to the person who was determined to change public opinion of him. Hell, he didn’t think she cared  _ this  _ much. He couldn’t fight the small grin. It was kind of... _ cool  _ that she thought he was cool. His ego bristled a bit, but the potential danger still stood. She was a lot smarter than she seemed, especially with how she rattled off materials that could make up his webbing last time. He’d have to keep his distance, and hope this determination of hers would wear off by the time they released their first issue.  _ Yeah, let’s go with that… _

 

\---

 

Both Ned and Peter jumped out of their skin when Annemarie happily bounded up to them later at lunch, slamming her tray down in glee. She didn’t seem to notice that she’d startled them. Instead, she held up her hands, her eyes wide and bright, “Guess.  _ What _ .” She began, almost shaking in excitement. It bothered them that compared to their full trays, she only had a single apple and chocolate milk once again for lunch. However, they merely exchanged a glance before Ned spoke first, “What’s up, Annemarie?”

 

“So, I’ve been thinking about my draft, and I’ve got a way to make it even better,” she replied. “I’ve been asking around, and getting some testimonials to further my point that Spider-Man is good for the city.”

 

“That’s a great idea, Anne,” Ned replied, a huge smile on his face. He ignored the hard nudge from Peter beside him. 

 

“I haven’t even gotten to the best part!” She continued, “So, my older brother goes to Midtown University, and in one of his classes, he’s got Curt Connors as a teacher! So what  _ I  _ was thinking was that I can get a testimonial from  _ him _ !”

 

“Curt Connors?” Peter blurted out, recognizing the name. He grinned, “You mean the leading expert in mutagenics and biochemistry?!”

 

“The  _ very  _ same!” She burst out, meeting Peter’s eyes, “Can you  _ believe  _ that?!”

 

“Holy shit! I never knew he taught here!” Peter replied, caught up in the excitement. 

 

“Well, he does! And he’s  _ super  _ cool, and most of the school would just  _ die  _ if he said Spider-Man was amazing.”

 

“But what if he says he’s not?” Ned asked, “What if he has an opposing opinion?”

 

Crap. Annemarie felt stupid. How could she not think of that possibility in her feverish excitement? “He--he won’t. I feel like he’ll present us with some logic and facts. Besides, he always does that in his research papers and documentaries!”

 

“You watch his documentaries?” Peter blurted out, excited that someone else actually knew about Connors. 

 

“Sure I do! Did you see his most recent one about how he’s hoping to use animal DNA to regenerate lost limbs for wounded soldiers? It’s brilliant!”

 

“Yeah, it’s  _ sick _ !”

 

“I  _ loved  _ when he thought about using lizard DNA, that stuff is  _ amazing _ \--!”

 

Ned sighed, taking a sip of his milk as he listened to his best friend and their newest friend gab on and on. “She’s gonna fit in just fine…”

 

\---

 

“But it’s totally possible, right?”

 

“Y--yeah, I mean lizard DNA to regenerate a lost limb definitely works…”

 

“But how is that even possible? Wouldn’t the human DNA reject a foreign limb?”

 

“I mean, theoretically--!”

 

“--Mr. Parker. Miss Abbey. Care to share your private conversation with the rest of the class?” Their Algebra teacher--a teacher and class they didn’t realize they shared until encountering each other after lunch--proclaimed, causing the two of them to look up in surprise. Annemarie felt her cheeks heat up at the sound of other students sniggering. She shook her head.

 

“Then perhaps you’ll both be paying attention to my lesson instead?”

 

“Yes.” They replied in unison, both immediately looking down at their notes--or rather, lack thereof. As the teacher turned, continued writing on the blackboard, Peter mumbled, “Jinx, you owe me a soda.”

 

Annemarie snorted, giggled at the joke. 

 

Their teacher turned, “Miss Abbey!”

 

“Sorry, sorry…”

 

School passed rather uneventfully after that, aside from Annemarie discovering she and Peter Parker had a lot more in common than she had anticipated. She found herself smiling on the train ride home, actually happy that she had found someone she had things in common with. She didn’t feel awkward, she didn’t feel stupid or shy or ridiculously weird. Instead, she was grouping together the testimonials she already got, writing on her notepad the beginnings of her final draft. 

 

_ Imagine this: there’s a fire going on in Midtown. A three-alarm fire, stretching across a city block. It has the potential to get bigger, far bigger than what the firefighters can handle. They’re too busy trying to temper the fire that they don’t know about the family of five stuck in the cellar of a building, begging for help. The firemen can’t save them. But there is someone in this city who can. _

 

Annemarie frowned at her words.  _ Way to sound morbid and borderline obsessive,  _ she thought, tempted to cross out her introduction and try again. “Lame,” she mumbled to herself, lowering her pen to cross out the words.

 

“Don’t.” A voice said above her. Annemarie looked up from her seat, widened her eyes at her newfound friend standing above her, holding onto the metal pole. She furrowed her brow, “Hey...I didn’t see you get on the train…”

 

“Uh...I walked to the store...and...caught the train at a further stop…” Peter replied, zipping up his hoodie all the way up. She almost questioned why his hair was messed up and why he looked like he flew to the store instead of walking, but he changed the subject, “Uh, you shouldn’t cross it out. It’s good.”

 

“You can read upside down?”

 

Peter eyed her funny, “No, you were...saying the words as you were writing them…”

 

_ Oh.  _ Annemarie felt her cheeks heat up, and she covered her mouth in embarrassment, “I’m sorry! I...I...I was just getting caught up in--!”

 

“--it’s good, though,” He replied, “You’re kind of...illustrating the darker side of things, you know? And how...Spider-Man can help with that. Because people need to hear that sometimes. Hear how bad it can get…” His eyes darkened, and he looked down at his feet before quickly meeting her eyes again, “So...don’t cross it out.”

 

She blinked up at him in surprise. He absently began fiddling with his sleeve, tugging at it and hiding his hand. “Thanks, Peter…” She mumbled, giving him a small smile.

 

She looked behind him out the window, found out the train was pulling into her stop. “I’ve gotta go, this is me…” She got up, gave him a quick hug. “I’ll text you later, okay?”

 

Peter nodded, “Yeah, sure…”

 

Just as she walked out of the train, she couldn’t help but smile at his sudden exclaimation,

  
“Hey, you still owe me a soda!”


	8. Close Encounters of the Spidey Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here I am with a new update! Featuring another cameo by Dr. Connors, and of course, our favorite web-slinger! 
> 
> This chapter does stretch a bit and ends up becoming a long scene in particular, so I do apologize for that. I've also been busy with work and other Real Life things. No matter what, though, your feedback is appreciated and I hope you guys continue to enjoy reading this fic as much as I enjoy writing it.

Weekends were always times of relaxation and recharging in the Abbey home. Adam caught up on the classwork he fell behind in before sitting in front of the television for hours, either watching a B-movie, a comedy, or the Saturday morning cartoon block. Wendy would often watch with him, regardless of the content, laughing at a few things or working on sudoku puzzles in the kitchen. Occasionally there was the phone call to their father in California (which Annemarie never remained in the room for), though it occurred on Sundays mostly instead of Saturdays.

 

Saturday mornings developed a new routine and consisted of Annemarie heading to Dr. Connors’ lectures by herself, sitting at the front of the lecture hall this time, alongside older students, most of them in their thirties, parents with children or middle-aged transfer students looking to rejuvenate their desire for learning. No one really questioned why a fifteen-year-old girl was a regular in this class, and Dr. Connors always took roll call by saying her name last, as she was not enrolled. 

 

“And Miss Abbey,” The routine remained unchanged after Dr. Connors called a  _ Zhou, Perkin,  _ leaving Annemarie for last. She nodded, raised her hand, and Dr. Connors nodded, “Nice to see you, Miss Abbey. Now, everyone, let us begin.”

 

Annemarie didn’t miss a beat, writing down Dr. Connors’ speech almost word for word (though occasionally annotating or shortening longer words to keep up). She continued color coding her notes (blue for standard facts, red in the margins for fun facts, and black for anything she learned from a particular documentary). She raised her hand, asked questions, verified her own notes, until he dismissed the class at noon sharp. It was at this moment Annemarie pounced, her opportunity perfect as Dr. Connors finished discussing concerns with one of his students.

 

“Miss Abbey, how can I assist you today?” He asked without looking up from his papers. It was a routine he had grown used to, the girl often approaching him after class for questions, concerns, summaries for lectures so she could assist her brother, or simply compliments for his fascinating approach to lessons. It didn't particularly upset or bother him, as he kept an amused smile on his face.

 

“Dr. Connors, I have a question unrelated to the lesson, if you don't mind.”

 

Now  _ this  _ surprised him. He looked up then, gave his undivided attention. “Yes?”

 

“Well, you see Dr. Connors, I've started school and I've just recently joined the school newspaper. I'm writing one of the first articles and the subject is about Spider-Man.” She began. 

 

“Oh? That boy has stirred up quite a pot lately.” Connors replied. 

 

She furrowed her brow, “What makes you think he's a boy…?” Though she already knew it herself, a part of her wondered--even hoped--Connors encountered the masked hero himself. 

 

“It isn't difficult to gauge, Miss Abbey. Spider-Man holds a rather lean build, a bit shorter than the average human male. Also, from what little audio of his voice the news provides, he does sound young. Perhaps early twenties at most?” He paused, noted how she barely bit back a smile, how her cheeks tinted pink. He knew then as he leaned forward, “You've met him.” It was more of a statement than a question. 

 

“Yes, sir. A….situation occurred earlier this week and Spider-Man saved my life.”

 

“I see, you're clearly starstruck. Thus you are inspired to write an article about him?”

 

“Yes, sir. The Daily Bugle--I’m not sure if you read the articles--specifically say that Spider-Man is a public menace, as well as several of the main news outlets. I decided to voice my opinions against that, in whatever small way I can. In turn, I'm also looking for others’ opinions on how Spider-Man has affected the city. Would it be too much to ask to get a testimonial from you? If you don't have time, it's okay…”

 

Connors rose, carried his papers as he nodded, “I've the time, Miss Abbey. If you'd care to walk with me?”

 

She quickly followed, “Do you need help carrying anything?”

 

He offered a small smile for her benefit, “No, Miss Abbey, I can manage. Thank you.”

 

As the two of them began their trek across campus, Annemarie fished out her notepad and pen, more than prepared for Connors’ opinion. The excitement bubbled within her as she gushed, “I go to Midtown High, and it’s mostly in science and technology, so most of my classmates will  _ love  _ to read your response.”

 

“The name of your school does ring a bell,” Connors replied, “it’s nice to hear I have some fans. What exactly do you wish to hear?”

 

“Well, just your thoughts on Spider-Man. You say he’s stirred the pot,” she uttered, quickly writing those words down, “do you mean that positively or negatively?”

 

Connors paused, gave his answer some thought, “Hmm...I can possibly say both. He has indeed saved lives, and I’m sure what he’s doing is inherently good. He is well-intentioned in his actions. However, there are many variables to consider.”

 

“Such as?” 

 

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Miss Abbey. Sometimes, in the rush to achieve a bigger picture, one can miss the smaller details,” Connors took off his glasses, draped them over the collar of his navy button-down shirt, “Spider-Man may be able to stop the impact of an oncoming bus, for instance, from hitting hundreds of people in Grand Central Station. The couple dozen on the bus, however, do not survive. He may not be able to save everyone, as much as he wants to. I often worry what will happen to him if that should ever occur. The sad part is, he will gain enemies. The more enemies he gains, the more dangerous it will be for him. And they  _ will  _ prey upon the smaller details, Miss Abbey.” He gave her a pensive, sad stare, as if he were a concerned parent, “Do I find him a menace? Certainly not. But I am a scientist, and cannot be blind to the more practical elements now that he is making a name for himself. He could be seen as a menace to those who fear for their own safety. And most do.”

 

Annemarie tried to summarize his answer as best as possible, though her heart fell a bit. She wished Connors had nothing but praise for Spider-Man. While he wasn’t necessarily negative in his feedback, a part of her still wished he had said something a bit more theatrical and wonderful. “I see…” she trailed, writing.

 

“I know it’s probably not what you wanted to hear,” Connors replied sadly.

 

She quickly looked up, eyes wide. The last thing she wanted to do was offend Dr. Curt Connors, “Oh, no! I just...I just don’t understand why everyone is willing to paint him as a menace when he’s done so much good!”

 

“You’ve only just started your school year,” Connors uttered, surprised at how quickly she wrote his answers, “and you’re already so dedicated to a masked boy with the powers of a spider. While I am for pursuing greater things in all aspects, I must ask, as a scientist and as an educator…”

 

He stopped by the stone stairwell leading to the library, and she came to a stop beside him, furrowing her brow. Connors regarded her again, studying her wide, curious eyes and feverish writing. It was an overcast afternoon, the clouds not particularly grey but drowning out the sun, giving the day a rather plain, gloomy feel. He continued with his inquiry, “What intrigues you to this particular subject so? What causes you to choose to push forward? Why Spider-Man?”

 

His question surprised her, as Annemarie realized she wasn’t entirely sure of the reason herself. It wasn’t simply a silly crush, no--something had pushed her into action, and she thought about her answer briefly before responding confidently,

 

“Because I feel like he’s misunderstood. And I...I think one of the worst things in life is to be misunderstood, mislabeled. To be alone.” As she spoke the words out loud, she realized how true it seemed. Perhaps her encounter with Spider-Man affected her deeper than she thought. “And I think it’s sad. I feel like...someone should try. Someone should at least listen.”

 

Connors nodded, taking in her response. Finally, he gave a smile, “Miss Abbey, you are far brighter and braver than you realize. Not everyone would be so eager to listen to a hero whose face they cannot see. If you strongly believe in this, then I encourage you to pursue it. However, as a friend, I will urge you to be careful. Do not back down, because you  _ will  _ be challenged. Be vigilant, but be safe, and be practical. Besides, how else will Mr. Abbey pass my class?” He joked lightly.

 

_ Friend.  _ The word sounded foreign, yet it made her inexplicably happy for some reason. Annemarie grinned, reached up, shook his hand, “Thank you, Dr. Connors. I will. Your encouragement means so much to me.”

 

She let go of his hand, asked, “Will you be studying in the library?”

 

“I am writing another research paper that requires study, yes. I presume you will be off to finish that article of yours?” He raised an expectant eyebrow.

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

“Then don’t let me keep you. Though I do encourage you to relax. It is Saturday and you’re young.”

 

“Who needs to relax when there’s stuff to be done?” She retorted. She closed her notepad, descended the stairs and waved, “Bye, Dr. Connors! See you next week!”

 

He laughed, gave a small wave in return before he entered the library.

 

Annemarie turned, began walking towards the train station as she fished out her MetroCard from her wristlet, preparing for another day of finalizing her drafts. She was about to take out her phone to text Peter for some help on photos, but overhead, something flew past. A familiar red and blue blur. She gasped, and her heart leapt as she looked up, forgetting her task entirely as she watched the Spider-Man himself swinging on those webs of his from building to building. 

 

“Speak of the devil,” she gave a sly grin as she bit her lip, getting an idea.  _ Maybe I can get a testimonial from the man himself! It’d be a HUGE seller!  _

 

“Spider-Man! Wait!” she cried out, snatching off her hat and breaking into a run, brushing past people who eyed her strangely as she ran in the direction of where Spider-Man happened to be going. Danger didn’t exist to her as she ran as fast as she could, trying to keep track of where he went. 

 

He seemed to swing around without a care in the world, and Annemarie was almost entranced by it as she followed him down a side street, where he’d began swinging past a building under construction. A large crane hung overhead, and it creaked loudly once he swung past but Annemarie kept pushing on, still calling out, “Hold up, will you?! Not everyone can swing, can’t you hear me?!”

 

Just as she began running underneath the crane, it creaked loudly again, and there was a loud  _ snap,  _ causing her to stop, look up just in time to see the crane beginning to fall heavily to the ground, towards her. 

 

Danger was all too apparent now, and her heart plummeted to her feet as she widened her eyes, tried to run. But it was too long, and she wouldn’t be fast enough to dodge the horrific blow. The scream left her lips, and just as she was about to try to run--

 

\--she was yanked forcefully into a firm chest, and an arm snaked around her waist, and she was up in the air again, and the crane hit the ground with a deafening  _ bang.  _ She closed her eyes at the sound, didn’t feel any solid ground under her feet for a moment. Once she did, she opened her eyes, relieved to see the goggles of the masked boy.

 

“Are you out of your mind?!” he exclaimed, his voice cracking a bit as he ran his arms over hers, almost studying her. She was too shaken to respond at first, merely looking around, discovering they were on the side of an abandoned building, on top of a tiny fire escape close to the roof. She swallowed, and he continued on his own tirade,

 

“You could’ve gotten  _ seriously  _ hurt, or worse! What were you thinking?!”

 

“I was trying to follow you!” she retorted at last, the adrenaline and fear wearing off. 

 

“What--wait, what?” he cocked his head to one side, “Why...why the hell were you _following_ me?” 

 

He didn’t sound particularly annoyed, but the anger was evident. Perhaps he was more surprised she chose to follow him in the first place. She replied, “I...I’m writing for my school newspaper. About you. And...I just…” It was when he studied her like that, underneath that bulky mask and those odd goggles that she realized just how ridiculous she was being, “...I saw you, so I thought...maybe you’d be interested in saying a piece?”

 

He didn’t reply, merely studied her a moment longer before sighing, scratching the back of his neck again as he uttered, “Look, Annemarie, I’m flattered, but--you can’t...you can’t just run into danger like that! If I had been even a  _ second  _ too late in grabbing you, I--!”

 

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. “You remembered my name.”

 

His words immediately dried up, and he began backpedaling, stammering a possible explanation, but it was too late. Annemarie’s smile tugged at her lips and her heart began to race for an entirely different reason as she wiggled her finger at him, 

 

“We’ve only met  _ once.  _ Just this past week. In this past week, you’ve rescued a total of seventy-five people after encountering me--!”

 

“Seventy-seven, actually.” He corrected lamely.

 

“Either way! It shouldn’t be possible for you to retain information such as the names of the people you’ve rescued. But  _ yet.  _ You remember  _ mine. _ Why is that?” She narrowed her eyes, tried to stare down the blank goggles. 

 

_ Shit, Parker. Say something! _ , Peter went into panic mode, his mind racing. “Uh, well...what can I say?” He opted to turn on the charm, “You’re not exactly easy to forget.”

 

_ Smooth, Parker. Real smooth…,  _ he nodded to himself.

 

The smile became a shy one, concealed by her biting her lower lip, and her cheeks turned a bright pink. He took advantage of her silence by reprimanding her, “But, seriously, you need to be more careful. Help a neighborhood Spider-Man out and be safe, okay?”

 

She nodded, unable to speak properly. He offered a hand, “Now, let me get you down. I’ll get you to the train station and make sure you’re safe. Okay, cutie?” 

 

“But...but what about my questions? For the paper…?” she asked.

 

“Really, you’re worried about asking me questions when you could’ve been hurt?” He sighed, shook his head, “I’ll be around, Annemarie. Just...stay safe. Please. Okay?”

 

_ He must think I’m insane now.  _ She sighed now, decided to take his hand and not press the matter further, “Okay.”


	9. The Soda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! I'm super sorry for taking a bit of a while to update! I've been at work nonstop due to the holiday rush, and I couldn't really write as much as I wanted to! Also, depression has reared its ugly head on me once again, also dwindling my desire to write. Nevertheless, you have yourselves an update! A bit of a filler chapter, but I wanted to lay some foundation for Annemarie and Peter. Hope you enjoy! Much love!
> 
> -

As Peter walked into Chemistry Monday morning, he found his usual seat beside the bowler hat wearing, cheerful Annemarie, who hadn’t noticed him yet. Instead, she was busy writing in her binder, smiling brightly to herself with a dreamy look in her eye. He found it odd she didn’t text him back earlier that morning. He had texted her, asking about whether or not she needed any help with her final draft. Was she mad at him? He hoped not. He also hoped that she hadn’t caught onto his secret identity.  _ Nah, she would have looked up by now. _

 

He’d slipped up in referring to her by name, and Peter was still mentally smacking himself for doing so. He couldn’t afford to be careless, not when Annemarie was far more perceptive than he gave her credit for. Just because he knew her as Peter Parker didn’t mean he could slip and treat her the same way when he was Spider-Man. Problem was, he wasn’t sure  _ how  _ to treat her. Annemarie wasn’t a typical shaken innocent bystander when he rescued her. No, she caught on too quickly, she was fascinated at the fact that he knew her by name, that he’d rescued her twice now, making her interest in his alter-ego grow even more.

 

_ I can’t just not save her if she’s in trouble,  _ Peter thought, sighing as he happened to glance at what she was writing in her binder. His eyes widened upon seeing she was not writing, but in fact doodling, and she was doodling spiders and drawing elaborate spider webs and little hearts--

 

\--his heart leapt unexpectedly, and he cleared his throat, and it was then she finally looked up, squeaking in surprise, “P--Peter!” Her cheeks flushed pink, and she practically slammed her binder shut, “W--what--why didn’t you say hi?”

 

“I did,” he blinked, trying not to blush himself. “I…” He opted not to mention her doodles, “I texted you this morning...d--did you get it?”

 

“O--oh…” she nodded, “Y--yeah, yeah, I thought I responded...I must have forgotten to send--I’m sorry...n--no, I sent my final draft to Ned...I mean…” She trailed off as she took in how he looked, and when her eyes widened in panic, Peter knew exactly what she was looking at, “Peter, what happened to your eye?!”

 

It wasn’t the first time he was questioned about the black eye he sported. May had asked him the moment he came home sporting it after a particularly nasty run-in with another mugger (he claimed he wasn’t paying attention when he swung the grocery store door open and it smacked his face), and even when she tried to cover it up with makeup, it was still noticeable--by people who cared, anyway. Ned had whistled, worried that Flash Thompson had landed one on him. And now, Annemarie looked horrified.

 

“Uh...just...wasn’t paying attention...uh...door hit my face,” he mumbled dismissively, busied himself with opening his own notebook.

 

“Are you okay?!” she asked, pulling him to face her as her fingers brushed the bruise. Peter started at the contact, tried to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks, “Y--yeah, I’m...I’m fine,” He said, moving away.

 

She withdrew, seemed to notice his sudden reaction. Her hand slowly fell, “I’m sorry…I didn’t...I didn’t mean to be weird...” She mumbled, “I...I was just worried.”

 

“R--really?” He asked, surprised at how she had reacted in general. They had only recently met, communicating through texts and lunchtime conversations (that bled into Algebra class). Granted, he’d rescued her from imminent danger twice, and he was already concerned for her own safety if she kept pursuing his alter-ego so much. 

 

“Of course!” she chirped, “We’re friends...aren’t we?”

 

The word warmed him, and he gave a small smile before nodding as the teacher walked into class, ready to start a new lesson.

 

\---

 

Come lunchtime and Ned was practically ready to burst with excitement as he sat with his two friends, eyeing Annemarie in particular as he said, “Your article was  _ amazing.  _ I can’t wait ‘til the whole school gets to read it!” 

 

And there went her pink cheeks as she replied, “Thanks, Ned! Did you enjoy reading Dr. Connors’ testimonial?”

 

“Totally! The whole school’s gonna have a meltdown when they read his opinion! I feel like the paper’s gonna be a big hit this year!” Ned elbowed Peter, “You’ve got to find us a kick-ass pic of him, man! Maybe get a picture of him swinging around!”

 

Peter blinked, “Uh, I mean...it’s not...it’s pretty difficult to do that, since, y’know, he’s so fast and all…”

 

Annemarie stopped drinking her milk, her eyes bright with an idea as she proclaimed, “Why don’t we try to chase him together, Peter? Maybe Wednesday after school? I can probably track him with a live news app on my phone or something! I mean, if you’re not doing anything...if we can get a picture, we can  _ definitely _ make the newspaper the biggest hit!”

 

Peter’s eyes traveled from the eager Ned to the bubbly and cheerful Annemarie, both eyeing him expectantly as they waited for his answer. This was getting out of hand. He swallowed, blurted out, “I dunno, maybe this isn’t such a great idea,” before busying himself with stirring around the cold macaroni in his tray.

 

Ned’s “what?!” came at the same time as Annemarie’s gasp and a “why?!” escaping her lips. Peter tried to appear nonchalant as he shrugged, “Because...well, I mean, it’s dangerous, first of all. What if we happen to find some crazy robbery or something and we get caught? What if we end up causing more trouble? Besides...what if Spider-Man  _ isn’t  _ good for the city?”  _ Hey, gotta cover myself somehow… _

 

Annemarie studied him for a moment before huffing, crossing her arms as she replied, “Look at all the good he’s accomplished, Peter. Look at how unfairly the media portrays him! That’s just not proper journalism!  _ We  _ need to present the  _ facts.  _ The  _ statistics _ . And we can  _ do _ that. We’ve got voices, so we might as well use them for  _ something _ ! Plus, weren’t you the one who said,  _ and I quote,  _ from your testimonial in my article,” she cleared her throat, reiterated, “‘ _ Spider-Man has powers, and he feels he can do the right thing, so he’s going to get up and use those powers _ ’?” 

 

“For the record, I--I didn’t actually say it like that--!”

 

“--but they  _ are  _ an annotation of how you feel, right?” She raised her eyebrows.

 

_ Way to shoot yourself in the foot, Parker,  _ Peter thought wryly. He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, “I...I just don’t want to die chasing this guy.”

 

“And we won’t,” Annemarie reassured him as she fished out her phone, “I’ll try to find a decent news app that tells us where we can find Spider-Man. And we’ll just go to wherever stuff happens when all the drama’s over! I’m sure he’ll be around if it means taking care of the people he saves!”

 

“You seem to think highly of him,” Ned slyly remarked, noting her pink cheeks and wide smile.

 

Annemarie shrugged, tried to hide her growing blush, “Well, yeah...I mean...we’ve got the Avengers, who are like...super cool and super famous and they handle the world’s stuff...it’s...kind of nice to see we’ve got a superhero in our corner, you know?”

 

“Yeah, or maybe you’re hoping he’s a secret Prince Charming under the mask,” Ned teased.

 

“S--shut up!” Annemarie squeaked, tossing her napkin at him, “I just believe in proper journalism!”

 

It was then the bell rang, and as students began throwing out their trays and heading to class, Annemarie picked up her books, grinned at Peter, “Wanna walk to Algebra together? There was one question on the homework I’m not sure I got right, so maybe we can go over it?”

 

“Uh, yeah, yeah, sure,” Peter got up, eager to change the subject as he fished out his homework. “So, which question was it?”

 

“It was the one with the quadratic equations…” 

 

As the two of them babbled on, Ned accompanied them briefly before waving goodbye, off to his period of Chemistry. 

 

\---

 

There was nothing quite like a surprise pop quiz the instant one walked into Algebra. The students had groaned in protest, but it was no trouble for Annemarie, who had finished her ten questions in fifteen minutes. She happily looked up, found the rest of her fellow students still working, and for a moment, she doubted herself before looking down at her quiz again, checking to see if every answer was correct. When she was absolutely certain, she got up, handed her quiz in to their teacher before returning to her seat, ignoring the stares from everyone else. She swallowed, eyed Peter next to her, who got up and handed in his quiz before sitting back down. She smiled at him before he sat, and she whispered, “How did you do?”

 

“Aced.. How about you?”

 

She nodded, “Me too.”

 

“Shh!” The teacher shushed loudly, glaring at the two.

 

“Sorry,” she mouthed before turning to Peter again, smiling shyly now. She bit her lip, eyed the teacher, who’d picked up the newspaper and was working on a crossword puzzle of some sorts. She fished out a small piece of paper, wrote quickly, balled up the paper and passed it to Peter just before the teacher happened to glance up at another student handing in his quiz.

 

Peter hesitated, waited until the teacher resumed his crossword puzzle before unraveling the paper and reading Annemarie’s neat, flowery cursive,

 

_ So what about Wednesday? Are you free after school? _

 

It was his turn to bite his lip now. On one hand, he didn’t want to let Annemarie down. On the other, he didn’t want to risk putting her in danger should anything-- _ happen.  _ And with his luck, something always did. Besides, how could he take a photo of himself if he was the one doing all the heavy lifting--literally? He wrote slowly before passing the note back to her.

 

_ I’m not too sure, honestly. I’ll let you know before dismissal that day, okay? I might have to do something with my aunt. _

 

He watched as she read his words, her eyes lighting up in understanding. For a split second, he found he admired how expressive she was--she seemed to wear every emotion on her sleeve, and she didn’t seem afraid, not like him. It was something he almost admired. He was jolted out of his thoughts by the balled up paper appearing on his desk once again.

 

_ Oh, no problem! Just keep me posted! I don’t want to get you in trouble with your aunt. _

 

He wrote back,  _ Nah, I won’t get in trouble. It’s small, it’s just some thing. Probably won’t need to do it. I’ll let you know. _

 

They hesitated as another student passed, handing in her quiz. Annemarie wrote quickly,  _ Is your aunt nice? _

 

He smiled fondly at that,  _ Yeah, she’s cool. She worries about me, but she’s nice, you know? _

 

Annemarie was reading his words when all of a sudden, the paper was seized out of her hands. She looked up, eyes wide as Flash Thompson sneered above them, his quiz in hand as he loudly proclaimed, “What, Parker, writing the new girl a love letter? So desperate for a girlfriend already?”

 

Peter shrunk into his seat, his face heating up in humiliation. Just what he needed. 

 

Annemarie reacted then, got up and snatched the paper from his hands, “If you  _ must _ know, Peter and I are discussing important aspects for my article in the school newspaper, confidential information that  _ can’t  _ be leaked!”

 

“Miss Abbey, hand me that note now please, and let me see for myself,” the teacher demanded, outstretching his hand. It was then Annemarie realized the other students were staring, some even sniggering as she swallowed, did as she was told. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment as the teacher read the words before crumpling up the note and tossing it into the trash bin. “Next time, I’m sending you both to detention. Save the conversations for after class. Are we clear, Miss Abbey?”

 

She bit her lip, hating the giggles behind her. “Y--yes, sir.” She murmured before walking back to her seat, ignoring the stares. However, she shot Flash a look before sitting back down. 

 

Peter glanced up, met her eyes briefly as she mouthed, “I’m sorry,” before fishing out her binder.

 

They didn’t speak for the rest of the period, each too busy focusing on the lesson that followed.

 

\---

 

If there was one class Annemarie absolutely despised, it was P.E. She hated the ridiculously baggy gym shirt and the ridiculously baggy gym shorts and she hated wearing the ridiculous bulky sneakers that made her feet look as huge as Bigfoot’s. She hated running laps. She hated playing volleyball with the other girls. She hated competing with the boys in basketball. Annemarie simply hated sports altogether. A part of her wished Adam was her identical twin and he could take the class for her instead. He was far superior in sports than she was. 

 

She didn't particularly feel like running laps today, so she lied and told the coach she had cramps and needed to sit on the bleachers. Thankfully, the coach was an understanding type, as a fellow female with feminine troubles, and allowed it as long as she participated the following day.

 

Thus, Annemarie was sitting quietly on the bleachers, watching the girls playing volleyball on one side of the gym. She watched as a dark-haired girl she recognized as Liz Allan spiked the ball, her smile bright and competitive as she played. Annemarie didn't know much about her, but judging from the gaggle of girls who followed her every move, she was probably one of the popular girls. It was immediately a sign for Annemarie to avoid her at all costs. They shared a few classes together, and whenever their eyes happened to meet Liz would shoot her a bright smile that didn’t appear malicious, but Annemarie preferred keeping herself and her lack of a reputation safe. 

 

One of the girls on the opposite team smacked the ball as hard as she could, her arm hitting the ball with a satisfying  _ thwack,  _ and it flew across the gym, above Liz’s head as it hurdled towards the boys on the other side of the gym playing basketball. Annemarie’s eyes widened as the volleyball moved to hit one of the boys on the head from behind, and she got up, prepared to cry out--

 

\--and then suddenly, he whirled around, catching the volleyball with both hands. Annemarie instantly recognized him, “Peter?!”

 

“Nice catch, Peter!” Liz cried out, her smile wide as she waved for him to pass the ball.

 

It took him a moment before he tossed it over, and as everyone around them resumed their games, his eyes briefly met Annemarie’s. She gave him a shy smile, waved before sitting back down.  _ I didn’t even know we had gym, too! I can’t believe it! _

 

She expected him to resume playing with the other boys, but instead he hurried over, climbing up to where she was and giving her a smile, “Hey.” 

 

“Hi!” She beamed, “I totally didn’t know we had gym together, too!”

 

He chuckled, scratched the back of his neck, “I guess we, uh, missed each other…” 

 

It was going to be difficult to avoid her and lay low if he shared a total of four classes with her. While it was nice to be with a familiar face most of the day, it didn’t provide safety for his alter-ego. Peter would have to come up with a plan to derail her growing interest in Spider-Man, and fast.

 

It was then he realized she wasn’t playing with everyone else. “You okay?”

 

“Hmm? Yeah!” She nodded, “I just...didn’t really...I’m not exactly into sports, you know?”

 

“Oh. Well, neither am I, I just…” He shrugged.

 

“But that catch was  _ amazing _ !” Annemarie gushed, gently poking his shoulder, “How are you  _ not  _ on any one of the teams?”

 

“Well, sports isn’t my thing…” He replied, avoiding her gaze. He turned, found the coach shooting him a look. “I should probably get back…”

 

“Yeah, go, I don’t want to get you in trouble again,” Annemarie winced, “I’m really sorry about that, by the way.”

 

“Huh? No, no, don’t worry about it. Flash...he’s like that with me all the time, it’s no big deal…” he mumbled dismissively. 

 

Annemarie frowned at that, a bit disturbed at what exactly he was telling her. “Well, he sounds like a jerk.” She said, crossing her arms.

 

Peter shrugged again, “Yeah, he kind of is…”

 

It was then the last bell rang, and everyone began shuffling about to the lockers.

 

Annemarie got up, “I’ll see you in a bit?” She offered, “We can wait for Ned and we’ll walk to the train together…”

 

He nodded, “Yeah. Yeah, sure…”

 

As they separated to their respective locker rooms, Annemarie quickly changed, eager to get out of the ridiculous gym clothes. Just as she pulled on her hat as the final touch, she spotted a vending machine by the bathroom, and a thought came to her. She fished out a dollar and headed towards it, grinning the whole time. 

 

\---

 

“How do you  _ not  _ notice you have four classes with her, man?” Ned demanded as he and Peter waited for Annemarie to emerge from the locker rooms, “It’s been about a week and you don’t notice  _ her _ ?”

 

Peter shrugged, “I don’t always...there’s a lot of people, okay?”

 

“Well, it gives us a reason to hang out more,” Ned mumbled dreamily, “Annemarie. Beauty, brains, plus she’s really cute. I’m telling you, she’s a catch!”

 

“She’s really into Spider-Man, though,” Peter tried to change the subject, “I mean, isn’t that a little odd to you?”

 

“Dude,  _ everyone  _ is into Spider-Man. Flash was blabbering on about him in History today,” Ned rolled his eyes, “Thinks he’s the coolest thing since sliced bread. He wants to start some type of fan club for him. Now  _ that  _ is pretty odd to me.”

 

“Why’s that?”

 

“Dude, it’s  _ Flash Thompson!  _ This is a guy who’s in love with his own reflection!” Ned exclaimed just as Annemarie emerged, happily approaching them as she went to Peter, held something up, “Here you go!”

 

Peter frowned, looked to find a bottle of soda in her hand. It took him a minute, but she chirped, “I owed you a soda from our last jinx. Remember?”

  
Despite wanting to keep his distance, he found himself grin as he took it, “About time, too. I’m pretty thirsty.”


	10. Peter Parker and the No-Good, Horrible, Very Bad Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, y'all! Yeah, I'm kind of late. Super sorry for the delay in updating! This chapter was a bit of a struggle to write, as I hit a block and couldn't figure my way out for a bit there. Either way, hope you guys enjoy, and I'll try to update sooner for the next chapter! Much love!

“The whozits and the whatsits do  _ what _ ?” Adam’s eyes went wide as he studied Annemarie’s notes from Connors’ last lecture at the kitchen table Wednesday morning. He was stressing about a quiz that he really wanted to pass, and Annemarie let him borrow her notes to study. Wendy sighed, fondly shaking her head as she drank her morning coffee, “Don’t stress too much, sweetie. You’ll get it.”

 

“I’ll get it when I’m seventy-five,” Adam groaned.

 

“The genes of a lizard can produce regenerative properties, similar to that of a starfish--or rather, the correct term is  _ sea star _ ,” Annemarie explained, “if applied to another animal, however, such as a bird, it can cause severe complications, such as the body rejecting the foreign cells or severe mutation.”

 

Adam didn’t look too pleased upon hearing that, “That...sounds horrifying.”

 

“It’s fascinating!” Annemarie protested, “Besides, I need my binder! I’ve got some notes I need to go over!”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m almost done…” Adam flipped to the next page, taking a huge bite of pancakes, only for a huge grin to adorn his features as he proclaimed, “Well, well, well, what’s thiiiiis?”

 

Annemarie furrowed her brow, only to widen her eyes as Adam pulled out the paper containing her doodles of spiders, webs, and hearts. She got up, only for Adam to stand up quickly, holding the paper above his head. “ _ Adam, you give that back right now! _ ” She demanded, hopping up and down in a futile attempt to retrieve the paper.

 

He let out a loud laugh, “Looks like someone’s caught in Spider-Man’s little web! I can imagine you writing a love letter!” He cleared his throat, spoke in a high-pitched, girly voice, “ _ Oh, Spider-Man, how I dream of your eyes and your webs and your wall-crawling amazing super special awesomeness _ \--!”

 

“ _ Mooooooom! _ ” Annemarie moaned, turning desperately to Wendy, who laughed at the sight before her. “All right, you two, enough. Adam, give it back.”

 

Adam rolled his eyes, handed over the paper. Annemarie immediately snatched it away, tucking it in the furthest inner pocket of her binder. Just as she slammed her binder shut and began quietly nibbling at her food, Adam mumbled through muffled laughter,

 

“You’re in one sticky situation, aren’t you--!”

 

Annemarie slammed her hand on the table, “Adam Benjamin Abbey, if you don’t stop  _ right now _ \--!”

 

“--Adam, leave it alone. Us girls prefer to be quiet about our crushes.” Wendy winked, gently pat her daughter’s shoulders.

 

Now it was Annemarie’s turn to groan, “This is humiliating…” she mumbled, staring at her pancakes.

 

“Anne and Spider-Man sittin’ in a tree,” Adam sang, his grin a mile wide.

 

She glared at him as he continued, “K-I-S-S-I-N-G…”

 

“Wow,  _ so  _ mature,” she bit out, her cheeks heating up. 

 

Adam let out another laugh, “Aw, come on, Anne, lighten up! The last time you had any sort of a crush, you were seven and it was on Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid.” He shrugged, “Now it’s on a superhero.  _ Man,  _ you’ve got some high standards…”

 

“And there isn’t anything wrong with that,” Wendy replied proudly, “Only the best for my Annemarie.”

 

“What about me? I’ve got standards too!” Adam protested.

 

“Says the loser who’s crushed on literally every girl he’s ever seen since he was fifteen.” Annemarie retorted.

 

“Hey, hey, I can count on one hand how many girls I’ve actually dated!” Adam frowned in thought, held up his hands as he counted, “See, my first girlfriend was Maire, the cute cheerleader in sophomore year of high school. Then there was Jeannie.  _ God,  _ Jeannie was cute...oh, and then there was Candice.” He grinned, “Oh, boy, do I remember Candice and that amazing ass--!”

 

“--Adam!” Wendy stopped him just as Annemarie gagged, “ _ Yuck _ !”

 

“But alas, I’ve got standards too, ‘s what I’m saying.” Adam shrugged before checking his phone, and he was on his feet, hoisting his bag over one shoulder and gobbling down the last of his pancakes, “Gotta go. I’ve got to get to class. Love you!”

 

He leaned down, kissed the top of Wendy’s head before ruffling his sister’s hair as a farewell. Before he left, he exclaimed,

 

“You should hit up Spidey! I hear he’s got  _ silk sheets. _ ” He laughed loudly at his lame joke before the door slammed shut.

 

Annemarie glared at the door, grumbling, “I  _ hate  _ him sometimes…”

 

“He's just happy for you,” Wendy replied, “And I'm happy, too. You're finally coming out of that shell of yours.” She rested a hand over her daughter’s, gently stroking the skin between her thumb and index finger.

 

Annemarie sighed, “I know. I just...I don’t want him to treat me like I’m weird...I’m fine now.”

 

“We know that, sweetie. We just…” Wendy sighed, “You’ve shown progress before, only to slip again. And we could never figure out why.”

 

She stared hard at her pancakes, her appetite very slowly dwindling. Annemarie really didn’t want to have this conversation at the moment. A familiar pit was settling in her stomach, and it soured her tastebuds. She swallowed, cleared her throat, “Well, I guess New York is far better for me than Orange County.” She put down her fork, “I should get going myself. I’ve got to talk to Peter about some stuff for the paper. I’m also gonna find out if he’s able to hang out after school. I’ll keep you and Adam posted.”

 

Wendy nodded, “All right, sweetie.” She smiled now, kissed her forehead, “Have an amazing day at school.”

 

Annemarie gave a gamely smile for her mother’s benefit, “Bye, Mom. Love you.”

 

She pretended not to hear when her mother asked if she wanted to take her breakfast to go.

 

\---

 

It was one of those days as Peter found himself pacing back and forth in his small bedroom, already dressed and ready for school, but not ready to deal with the bubbly girl he’d recently befriended. She’d sent him a text, asking him to keep her posted about whether or not they would be hunting for Spider-Man after school. The paranoia and anxiety was beginning to bubble over, and Peter wasn’t sure how to handle the growing interest on her part. 

 

They were only on their second week of school and for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why the hell Annemarie Abbey was so interested in his alter-ego. A part of him thought back to the doodles, felt his cheeks heat up as he realized she may actually  _ like him.  _ Peter swallowed nervously at that. He already had a hard time dealing with his feelings for Liz Allan. Having a girl other than Liz have a crush on--well,  _ him  _ was not something he ever hoped for or anticipated, for that matter. 

 

_ But it’s not you,  _ he thought bitterly,  _ it’s Spider-Man she’s interested in.  _ He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, messing it up once again. He’d saved her  _ once-- _ well, twice now--and this sudden fascination with him was simultaneously refreshing and a bit odd. He was glad she didn’t see him the way everyone else seemed to. However, she was steadfast, determined to chase him--something that could very well lead into terrible danger. Despite finding her cool, and far nicer than other girls he’d met and actually spoken to, Peter found he didn’t quite understand the bowler-hat wearing Annemarie. 

 

“What am I gonna do…?” He mumbled to himself, “I don’t want her to  _ like me… _ ”

 

He certainly wasn’t prepared for fangirls just yet, but he didn’t want to be an asshole to the only person seemingly in his corner. He was at an impasse, and Peter wasn’t sure what to do. 

 

“Hey, tough guy, still sleeping in there?” May called from the kitchen, “Hurry up, or you’re gonna be late for school!”

 

“What…?” Peter eyed the clock, only to realize he was indeed running late. 

 

“ _ Shit _ !”

 

\---

 

He missed the train by two minutes, dropping his MetroCard at the turnstile and struggling to pick the slim card up from the floor. By the time he managed to get through, the train was just pulling out of the station, and Peter groaned, knowing the next train would make him late for first period. That would mean Annemarie would corner him in Chemistry, and he really didn’t want to have that conversation in class. 

 

Not for the first time, however, a familiar idea crossed his mind, and it involved the haphazard costume he kept in the bottom of his bag for emergencies and the web-shooters strapped to his wrists underneath the sleeves of his hoodie. He hesitated, a part of him not wanting the attention so early in the morning, but also  _ really  _ not wanting to be late for school. Sighing in resignation, Peter left the station, found the nearest abandoned alleyway with a giant dumpster to hide behind as he changed. He already knew exactly where to land once he got to school--there was another alleyway a few blocks away, and he could easily walk out from the alley as if he took a shortcut of some sorts. 

 

He was up and about in another fifteen minutes, swinging about from building to building and trying to ignore the people below pointing and talking and snapping photos. He’d probably make the morning news. He already figured out the headline:  _ Masked Menace Looms Over City.  _ Or something like that. He sighed bitterly, tried to ignore the pervasive thoughts and instead focus on school and the day ahead as he lifted his hand to shoot a web towards another office building.

 

His web-shooter let out an empty  _ clicking  _ noise, and his eyes widened as he realized he forgot to refill the shooters with new web fluid the night before. He had fallen asleep over his homework, after a particularly long day of school and crimefighting.

 

“ _ Shit! _ ” And he was falling, and panic coursed through his veins as he lifted his other hand, but it was too late. He landed unceremoniously on top of a closed dumpster, denting the metal lid as he tumbled, crashed to the ground on his back. Peter let out a strained groan, regained his breath for a moment, laying perfectly still.

 

_ So much for being graceful and badass… _

 

He fished out his phone, thankfully unscathed, found in another five minutes the first bell would ring at school. He dug through his bag, found his MetroCard was magically missing, causing him to groan again.

 

“Fine...guess I’ll walk…”

 

\---

 

He just barely made it to third period Chemistry, as the late bell rang and the teacher stumbled in. He instantly recognized the wide-eyed, bowler-hat-wearing girl as her mouth dropped open at the sight of him. As soon as he sat, she whispered, “Peter, what happened? I didn’t see you this morning! You didn’t answer my text…”

 

“I’m fine. Overslept,” he lied, staring at the chalkboard ahead of them. He flinched at the feeling of her fingers brushing his hair aside, worry laced in her voice as she asked, “Oh, my God, are you okay? Your face is all bruised up and--!”

 

“--can you  _ not _ ?” He snapped, moving away. He instantly regretted lashing out at her, and she hesitated, whispered quickly, “I’m so sorry,” before busying herself with her notes. Peter tried to apologize, but she didn’t respond, too busy focusing on the lesson at hand. 

 

_ Way to be an asshole.  _ He sighed, decided to try a different tactic. As the teacher turned to write an equation on the board, Peter quickly wrote down on a piece of paper:  _ I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be an ass. Just fell getting out of bed this morning. Spidey hunting after school still on? _

 

He balled it up, tossed it over her arms, and it landed right in front of her. She briefly glanced his way, hid it when the teacher turned briefly, called on another student. When he turned once again, she opened up the paper, read it, and Peter was a bit relieved to see her eyes light up and a smile tug at her lips as she quickly scribbled a reply.

 

_ Totally still on! We’ll meet up after P.E.! Hopefully Ned can come with us, too!  _

 

\---

 

“He was sighted  _ this morning?! _ ” Annemarie squeaked as she forgot all about her lunch of only an apple and a carton of milk to stare wide-eyed at Ned, who was busy scrolling through the article on his phone.

 

Ned nodded, “Yup. Briefly at around like, seven-thirty this morning. They’re saying he was swinging around before people lost sight of ‘em.”

 

“Oh,  _ man _ !” she groaned, buried her face in her hands, “ _ So  _ close and yet I  _ missed  _ this! Where was he?”

 

“Apparently going down 7th Avenue,” Ned replied.

 

“6th,” Peter corrected instinctively, taking a swig of milk. When he put his carton down, he found both Ned and Annemarie staring at him. She leaned in, looked at him with excited eyes. “Peter…” she asked slowly, “...did you  _ see  _ him?”

 

_ Shit.  _ Peter cleared his throat awkwardly, “Uh, nah, just heard from somewhere else, uh...he was swinging around 6th.”

 

“Darn! I need to be more vigilant!” Annemarie took out her phone, scrolled through her news apps, “Ned, are you still coming with us to track down Spider-Man after school?”

 

“Nah, I’ve got to go with my mom. We’re doing our weekly grocery run,” Ned sighed, “Unfortunately, this means I’m gonna miss out on the big adventure.”

 

“So it’s just you and me, Pete!” Annemarie chirped, and Peter almost choked on his second swig of milk. “This is going to be  _ so  _ exciting! I really hope we get a great shot!”

 

Peter groaned inwardly.  _ This just keeps getting better and better… _ , he thought wryly.

 

\---

 

As soon as P.E. was over, Annemarie wasted no time in tugging Peter by the arm to their lockers, ready to grab her bag and get ready for Spidey hunting. As she began stuffing her books in her bag, she chirped, “Did you bring your camera, Pete?”

 

He blanched as he realized he forgot his camera at home in the rush to leave earlier that morning. When he didn’t reply, she stopped, met his eyes, “You... _ did  _ bring your camera, right?”

 

It was then he took in her bright, determined expression, her bowler hat recently stuffed into her bag, and her hair tied back in a high ponytail. For a split second, Peter thought she looked rather cute, but he quickly dismissed the thought as he admitted, “No...I forgot it.”

 

Disappointment briefly flashed across her eyes, only for her to shrug as she replied, “Don’t worry. We’ll just use our phones! I’ve got the news app up and running, it’s one of the more reliable sources!” A grin tugged at her lips as she winked, “Let’s get Spidey hunting!”

 

_ Please don’t let there be criminal activity, please don’t let there be criminal activity, pleeeeease don’t let there be criminal activity…,  _ Peter pleaded to whatever forces he could. He was already in this situation with Annemarie. The last thing he needed was criminal activity. He hoped their chase would end up cold, and he wouldn’t have to find an excuse to leave her and suddenly reappear as Spider-Man.

 

Annemarie’s phone pinged, and she bit her lip before excitedly proclaiming, “Sources say there’s some activity going on in Midtown! Stolen car filled with robbers, apparently! Peter, we’ve got to hurry!”

 

Of course he wasn’t that lucky.

 

\---

 

It didn't take long for Peter and Annemarie to arrive at 37th and 8th, apparently where the getaway car was last sighted. Peter could already hear the police sirens, spotted the cruisers following the stolen BMW.  _ Who steals a BMW anyway? _

 

Annemarie was practically shaking with excitement as she instinctively grabbed Peter’s arm, looking around for the webslinger, not realizing he was already standing beside her. “Keep your eyes open, Pete!” She burst out, a big ball of giddiness, “Keep your phone out and ready to shoot! Not like a beam or anything, but a photo! This is so exciting!!”

 

Peter could not understand how Annemarie found a potentially highly dangerous situation exciting. Granted, there were moments he genuinely enjoyed the fights, but the difference was  _ he could fight back.  _ He swallowed, held up his phone, only for an all-too-familiar tingly feeling in his gut. A bad one. Quickly, he turned to where the BMW was turning and speeding, and then his eyes found the street intersection, where a city bus was just beginning to approach. He put two and two together, thankful he put his costume on underneath the clothes he already wore after P.E. He knew he only had minutes to fix this, and he grabbed Annemarie. When she turned to meet his eyes, he broke out, “I'm gonna, uh…” It was then he realized he hadn't come up with a solid excuse yet, so he stumbled on his words a bit before saying, “I'm gonna find a shortcut. Maybe if I'm lucky I can spot ‘em. He's probably gonna come quietly since he doesn't want the attention, not like this morning…”

 

The light changed a block away, and the bus was still slowly approaching, unsuspecting.

 

Annemarie frowned before nodding, “Okay! Just...be careful! Text me if anything!”

 

Peter silently thanked her steadfast determination for not questioning him too much as he brushed past the growing crowd, into the nearest alleyway, quickly changing and keeping his backpack carefully hidden where he could find it again. He tugged his mask on, briefly remembered he didn't have enough webbing. He swore.  _ I'm gonna have to make this quick… _

 

Within seconds, Peter was off, swinging on only one web, propelling himself towards that speeding car. He heard the shouts, the eager snapping of photos, but none of that mattered as the bus approached, the car was moments away from smashing into it--

 

\--Peter threw himself in front, barely catching the car before it hit the bus. The car merely dented the bus thanks to his strength. The car jolted to a stop, and just as the police pulled up, Peter shot out one final web, swinging back to his hiding place. 

 

He sighed, caught his breath for a few minutes as his mind briefly flashed to Annemarie, probably ecstatic at seeing him as his alter-ego. It was then he realized he had promised to try and get a good shot. Sighing again, Peter took out his phone, mumbled, “I'm gonna regret this,” before snapping (at least he thought so) an inconspicuous shot. 

 

He made sure no one followed him as he quickly ripped off his mask and goggles, stuffing them into his bag as he tugged on his jeans and zipped up his hoodie underneath everything else. He'd be hot, but he couldn't afford to change completely if it meant possibly getting caught. He made a mental note to manufacture more webbing as soon as possible.  _ Can't be that hasty next time.  _

 

He finally emerged after waiting a safe amount of time, a crowd forming around the news casters who'd just arrived, and the police and first responders were still checking on innocent bystanders. 

 

He spotted Annemarie right away, trying desperately to get past several people for a news interview. However, once she spotted him, her bright smile lit up her face as she rushed towards him, excited. She practically burst out, “ _ Peter!  _ You  _ missed  _ it! Spider-Man struck again! The car was about to hit a city bus, but he stopped it with his bare hands.  _ His bare hands,  _ Peter!! It's a shame you missed it! It was  _ so cool!” _

 

He nodded, “Uh...wow, really? Sounds awesome…”

 

“It was  _ seriously  _ the best!” It was then her smile became an irritated frown, “Then the news people came and now  _ everyone  _ wants to say their piece so they can get their five minutes of fame. I can’t get anywhere  _ near  _ the reporters to say my piece!” She sighed, “I’m sorry you missed him, Peter…we had the scoop and I  _ completely _ blew it! We have to stay together next time…” She bit her lip in thought, “...or is it better we split for things like this? Ugh! I don’t know…”

 

She looked so disappointed, so disheartened, that Peter was already taking out his phone, bringing up his  _ inconspicuous  _ photo as he breathed out, “You mean the scoop of this guy right here?”

 

Her eyes lit up and she practically seized the phone from his hands, almost taking his hand with her. He swallowed a nervous lump in his throat, prayed she wouldn’t question him too much as she let out an excited squeal, clutching his phone to her chest. “ _ Peter!  _ How did you  _ get  _ this?!?!”

 

He shrugged, prattled off the first lie that came to his head, “Bumped into him on my shortcut. Said I wouldn’t let ‘em go ‘til he gave me a shot...”

 

“You  _ talked  _ to him?!” She was starstruck again, and despite not understanding her, Peter found her excitement strangely endearing, “Peter, I can’t  _ believe  _ this! It’s amazing!  _ You’re  _ amazing!” His cheeks heated up at those words. She was practically shaking, she was so excited, “This is going to be  _ phenomenal,  _ Peter,  _ thank you _ !” 

 

He let out a yelp when she flung herself into his arms impulsively, hugging him tightly as she jumped up and down. When she finally relaxed, she didn’t let him go, instead mumbling  _ thank you  _ over and over.

 

Peter swallowed down the temporary rush of guilt before wrapping an arm around her, gently patting her back.

  
_ Hopefully this’ll get her off my back… _


	11. Reaching Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I've been waiting to post this chapter! I'm really excited, because we've hit a new point, my loves! This chapter is a bit long, featuring everyone's favorite web-slinger, and lots of Adam comedy, plus a teeny Easter egg at the beginning! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I can't wait for the next chapters to come!

**_SPIDER-MAN: THE HERO NEW YORK CITY NEEDS_ **

**_By Anne Abbey_ **

 

**_Imagine this: there’s a fire going on in Midtown. A three-alarm fire, stretching across a city block. It has the potential to get bigger, far bigger than what the firefighters can handle. They’re too busy trying to temper the fire that they don’t know about the family of five stuck in the cellar of a building, begging for help. The firemen can’t save them. But there is someone in this city who can._ **

 

**_The Spider-Man came seemingly out of nowhere, swinging into the streets of New York mere months ago. Who is he? What is his name? Why does he do what he does? Does it even truly matter?_ **

 

**_Crime rate is now at a new record low for the first time in fifteen years, dropping by forty percent. Police fatalities have also went down by seven percent since the web-slinger has entered the city._ **

 

**_Now ask yourselves, does that sound like a public menace to you?_ **

 

 ** _Many on the streets would disagree with the common misconception. “[Spider-Man]_** **_wants to do the right thing, because he’s got all these cool powers. And he feels he can do something with them,” says Midtown student Peter Parker._**

 

**_“[Spider-Man] is super cool. He’s got these webs he can just fire out, he’s fast, he saves way more people than the police can!” says another Midtown student, Eugene Thompson. “To say he’s a bad guy? That’s just dumb!”_ **

 

**_Even well-renowned biochemist Dr. Curtis Connors shared his opinions on the web-slinger. “[Spider-Man] may not be able to save everyone, as much as he wants to. [...] The sad part is, he will gain enemies. The more enemies he gains, the more dangerous it will be for him. [...] Do I find him a menace? Certainly not.”_ **

 

**_Maybe, just maybe, what New York needs is a hero. Someone in our corner. To stand up for us civilians, so we don’t have to be afraid. So we don’t have to hide. If Hell’s Kitchen can have the masked Daredevil, why can’t we have another one of our own?_ **

  
  


\---

 

“It’s horrible,” Annemarie cringed as she read the final draft of her article. As she read it, all she could see were errors or lame sentences or simply words that didn’t make sense in her own head. She remained by her locker with Peter and Ned, whom excitedly showed them their first issue, the front page blasting Annemarie’s article. They had arrived early just to see the first prints, so they had a bit of time before they separated for first period. As the students filed in, mumbling amongst themselves and some even reading the paper, Annemarie wanted nothing more than to shrink and hide underneath her hat.

 

Ned looked at her as if she said she had two heads, “Are you insane? This is great, Anne! You presented everyone with facts, testimonials, and  _ check out that picture,  _ Pete! You guys did  _ amazing _ !” 

 

Peter sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, unsure how to handle the praise as he uttered, “Me? I--I just took a picture. If anything, it was Anne who did all the great writing.”

 

Annemarie’s gaze shot to Peter’s, touched by his words as she smiled shyly, “Thanks, Peter. But you got an actual  _ close-up _ ! The Daily Bugle can eat their stupid words now! Even if they do manage to write their perfectly wrong opinion,  _ our  _ opinion is out there, and it encourages others to speak up!”

 

“You killed it, Annemarie,” Ned praised, “everyone else’s already talking about it! Man, we’re in for a great year if this keeps up!”

 

Annemarie opened her mouth to respond, only to spot a newcomer approaching the three of them. Judging by the perfect hair, makeup, and well-coordinated outfit, Annemarie immediately recognized Liz Allan, who stopped upon reaching them. Behind her, her gaggle of girlfriends shot dirty looks and judgmental stares. Suddenly, she felt hopelessly exposed, and when she turned to Peter and Ned for support, she could only find them staring at Liz, dumbfounded.

 

“Hey,” Liz greeted, waving a perfectly manicured hand. She didn’t sound particularly teasing or malicious, but Annemarie kept her guard up as she tensed, her shoulders squaring up and her heart beating in her throat. “Uh, hi.” She kept her greeting clipped and short, didn’t wave. She didn’t want to look at her own nails that she did at home. They weren’t nearly as glamorous as Liz’s appeared to be.

 

“So, you’re Anne Abbey, right? You wrote the article about Spider-Man?” Liz held up a copy of the paper, pointed out the picture that sat above her article. Annemarie once again looked to Ned and Peter, both of whom were still practically drooling over her. She rolled her eyes inwardly as she thought,  _ Boys… _ , and nodded, “Y--yeah, what about it?” She almost demanded, ready to put up a wall if needed.

 

Liz gave her a smile, her eyes bright as she replied, “I like it! You raised some totally valid points! I agree with you, too. I think Spider-Man’s pretty cool. You’re great, you should seriously consider being a writer.” 

 

She certainly wasn’t expecting  _ that.  _ And Liz appeared to be genuine in her words. Annemarie swallowed, replied, “Um...thanks?” 

 

Liz smiled, briefly turned her attention to Peter, “And Peter! Great photo! He looks  _ so  _ badass...well, I’ll see you guys later!”

 

As she walked off in her new shoes, the three of them slowly stared at each other, clearly not sure what to say. 

 

“She...she talked to us…” Ned mumbled, “ _ Liz Allan  _ talked to us…”

 

“She complimented my photo…” Peter’s face was beet red.

 

“She liked my article?” Annemarie whispered in surprise.

 

They were interrupted by the bell ringing, each of them jumping and saying a quick goodbye before heading off to their classes.

 

\---

 

Later that day, Annemarie found, for the first time in weeks, she wasn’t coming home to an empty apartment. As she opened the door, she was greeted by the smell of something burning. In a brief moment of panic, she ran to the kitchen, only to find her brother with flowery oven mitts on, fanning the smoke that billowed above a pot of God-knew-what. She coughed, waved a hand to fan away the stench as she asked, “Adam?”

 

He whirled around, gave a grin, “Hey, Anne! Thought I’d surprise you with some beef stew for early dinner!”

 

She cringed at the black, gooey mess that sat in the pot, “That...doesn’t look like beef stew…”

 

“Well, it was  _ supposed  _ to be…” Adam shrugged, picking up the pot and tossing the goo in the sink before turning on the tap, where it swirled down the drain. He opened a window, where the smell and the smoke began pouring out into the open air. “Guess we’ll just have to settle for takeout. Mom left us money. God, it’s like she  _ knows  _ I’m the serial killer of recipes...feel like Chinese?” 

 

Annemarie giggled, rather happy to see her brother home for once instead of out with his friends, in class, or holed up in his room to finish some paper. “Make it Mexican and we’re good.”

 

“ _ Ay, caramba _ ! You got it,  _ niño _ !” Adam said in a terrible accent.

 

“Actually,  _ niña _ is the proper--!”

 

“--I’m trying to be cultured, Anne, don’t ruin it!” Adam exclaimed, removing his oven mitts as he sighed, rested his hands on his hips, “So how was school?”

 

Annemarie briefly thought about her day, from the compliments from Liz Allan at school, to everyone practically buzzing about Spider-Man, to Peter and Ned and the relative quiet in classes. She shrugged, dropped her bag on the chair beside her as she sat, “Better than I expected, I guess? We released our first issue of the paper today with my article.”

 

“Yeah?” He went into the fridge, pulled out a huge bottle of Gatorade before tossing his sister the bottle of her favorite brand of iced tea. She caught it easily as he asked, “How’d that turn out?”

 

“Great reviews, apparently,” Annemarie opened her bag, took out a copy of the paper and handed it to him, “I made the front page and everything. Peter got the picture of Spider-Man, which I thought was amazing. Honestly, I think my article kind of sucks.”

 

“You always have to be so hard on yourself, Anne,” Adam mumbled, eyes skimming her article, “It’s really not that terrible. You’re not exactly a professional journalist, so honestly, this is a pretty good start. Badass pic, though. Your boyfriend did a pretty good job capturing this guy.”

 

The blush crept up as her cheeks heated up, “Peter is  _ not  _ my boyfriend!”

 

He frowned in fake thought, “Oh...right!” He grinned, “Your boyfriend is  _ Spiiiiiiiiider-Maaaaaaan _ .” He sang, wiggling his fingers towards her dramatically.

 

“Shut up!” She chirped, “Aren’t--aren’t you going to order the food! I’m starving!”

 

“ _ Sí, señorita _ ! One set of chicken taquitos for you, one giiiiiiant steak burrito for me!” Adam replied, picking up his phone. As he waited for the restaurant to pick up, he briefly muttered to Annemarie, “Should I order for Mom? She didn’t say anything about coming home late but lately her job’s been giving her surpri--yeah, hi, I’d like to place an order and have that delivered, please?” 

 

He paused, and Annemarie nodded and mouthed a  _ yes  _ in response to his question. He nodded before giving their address to the other person on the phone. After a beat, he asked, “Wait, so you guys don’t deliver to apartment complexes?” Pause. “‘Kay, so what if I picked it up instead?” Another pause. “...okay, cool, then I’ll pick it up, no problem. Uh, one order of chicken taquitos, an overstuffed steak burrito, like--yeah, yeah, the special, I’ll take that with a Coke...uh...and for the taquitos, can I get a can of iced tea with that? Uh, and an order of tostada salad? With chicken, tomato, lettuce, beans, and avocado? Yeah, hold the peppers, please, my mom’s got an allergy--and how much’ll that add up to…? Okay, cool. I’ll be there in another twenty minutes. Thanks so much!”

 

He hung up, frowned, “Yeah, they don’t deliver here...sucks…” He shrugged, “Whatever, picking it up’s no problem. I’ll make sure they don’t add the peppers. Sometimes they forget and you know Mom can’t eat peppers…”

 

“Do you want me to go with you?” Annemarie asked innocently. 

 

He shook his head, “Nah, I’ll be back before you know it.” He got up to run to his room to find his sneakers. Passing by Annemarie, he ruffled her hair, “Don’t miss me too much!”

 

\---

 

The Mexican restaurant wasn’t exactly in the most ideal location. It was a hole in the wall where a lot of shady people tended to conglomerate, but nevertheless it was family run and they made amazing food. At least, Adam thought so as he waited in the small place for the food to be cooked. He sat at the tiny table, watched as others gave their orders to the cashier up front, who looked like a young teenager bored out of his mind. He snuck a peek behind the counter, where the chef was just finishing their mother’s salad. Thankfully, he skipped the peppers this time. Adam sighed in relief as he turned his attention back to the front, where his heart dropped as he recognized a familiar face ordering food.

 

“Joanna?” He blurted out suddenly. The dark-skinned girl stopped, turned to face him. She furrowed her brow in confusion for a brief moment before recognizing him, “You’re...you’re one of our transfer students, right? You were at the open house a few weeks back.”

 

“Yeah, you toured my group,” Adam nodded, “We, uh...we also went out a few times. I mean--your friends with my friends, karaoke?”

 

She chuckled then, appearing certain, “Yeah, you sound horrible when you’ve had one too many drinks.”

 

Adam feigned offense, “Excuse you, I’ll have you know that Mariah Carey once heard me sing and found my voice as enchanting as hers used to be.”

 

Joanna giggled at his joke, “Adam, right?”

 

_ She remembers my name,  _ Adam happily thought, “Yeah, yeah, the one and only. Getting yourself some dinner?”

 

Joanna nodded, “Yeah, I’m just picking it up before I head home. Just finished work. How about you?”

 

“I’m picking up dinner for my mom and my sister. We love the food here.” Adam stuffed his hands in his pockets, not believing his luck, “So, uh, you...finished work? Where--where do you work, if I may ask?”   
  


“I do part-time work at the electronics store down the block. They were the only place willing to work with my school schedule, so…” she shrugged gamely.

 

Behind her, a hat-wearing, sweaty guy who reeked of cheap beer snapped, “Hey, big ass, stop holding up the line, guy’s gotta eat here.”

 

Adam frowned, and Joanna rolled her eyes, whirled around to hurl an insult, and the guy suddenly sang a different tune, “Hoo,  _ damn,  _ you’re a looker, sweetheart. Why don’t I pay for your meal, sexy? You can always pay me back…”

 

“No, thanks, I’ll pass,” Joanna retorted, returning to her order as she took out a twenty, handed it to the cashier, “Keep the change,” she uttered before taking her bag of food. “Good to see you,” she told Adam before beginning to leave.

 

“I’ll buy you some dessert, sweetheart!” the guy called out, stepping out of the line to follow her, “Why don’t you tell me what you like?” He reached over to grab her, and it was then Adam chose to act, quickly moving and grabbing the guy by the arm firmly. “She doesn’t wanna talk to you, man, back off.” He ordered. 

 

“What’re you, her boyfriend, asshole?” the guy snapped, and Joanna had stopped at the doorway, clearly uncomfortable. He snatched himself away, beckoned her and made kissy noises, “Come on, baby, I can show you a good time--!”

 

“-- _ back off. _ ” Adam growled, getting in front of Joanna and shoving the guy back. 

 

“Quit playing hero, asshole,” the guy snapped.

 

“Quit being an asshole,  _ asshole, _ ” Adam retorted, “she doesn’t wanna talk to you, she just wanted some food. Why don’t you back off, leave her alone, we can all have some food and call it a day?”

 

The guy shoved him back now, pulling out a knife that Adam only just noticed. “Wanna play hero, tough guy?” He sneered, waving the blade around.

 

“Hey, quit it! I’ll call the cops!” The cashier was far from bored now, hiding behind the register but clearly not wanting a fight to break out. 

 

Adam held up his hands now, tried to defuse the situation as he kept his voice soft, “Hey, man, put that down. You don’t need that, just leave her alone.”

 

“Nah, you wanna be tough, let’s go!” the guy retorted, “you ain’t in Kansas anymore, pretty boy!”

 

“Adam!” Joanna hurried forward, swung her bag to try to smack the knife out of his hands. He dodged, shot a dangerous glare at her, knife still in hand. Adam could already sense what would happen if he turned on her, and he tackled the guy down, getting a booted foot to his face in the scuffle. He fell back, tasted blood in his mouth as he scrambled to his feet, just in time to see the guy already charging at him with the knife.

 

And suddenly the guy was against the wall, webbed-- _ webbed _ ?--to it, the knife stuck to his hand. Adam wiped his mouth, found he had a bloody lip, barely registered Joanna’s panicked, “Oh, God, are you okay, Adam, you’re bleeding!”

 

“You  _ really _ need to learn some manners.” A familiar red-and-blue clad, mask-and-goggle wearing boy said, crouched in the entrance of the restaurant. He cocked his head to one side, prattled on, “ _ Dude,  _ you  _ reek  _ of alcohol. Bet the cops are gonna  _ love  _ going over that walk-the-line test with you! Plus, you tried to attack this fine gentleman and this lovely lady! No one likes a Dinner Downer!” He turned to the two, “You guys okay?”

 

Joanna could only nod in shock, and Adam nodded as well, the only thing he could say was, “Dinner Downer?”

 

“Yeah, I thought it’d be cooler than Debbie Down--never mind. Just leave ‘im there,” Spider-Man pointed at the hiding cashier, “Hide and seek’s over, dude. Call the cops so they can handle this!” 

 

The poor kid could only nod as he took the phone. From behind them, the chef practically flung the bag of Adam’s food to him. “Free of charge, man,” he quickly said, clearly wanting to avoid the confrontation, “Just go.”

 

By the time Adam realized what had just happened, Spider-Man was gone.

 

\---

 

Wendy had just walked in and was taking off her heels when Adam returned home, bag of food in hand as he proclaimed, “Hey, I’m home!”

 

Wendy had just kissed the top of her daughter’s head and turned to greet her son, only for her eyes to widen in panic as she exclaimed, “Oh, my God! Adam, what happened to your face?!”

 

Annemarie turned now, gasped at the giant forming bruise on the right side of Adam’s face, and his swollen, bleeding lip as he dropped the bag on the table, “Well, good news is, we got free food!” He offered, clearly trying to make light of the situation. He frowned when both his mother and sister scrambled for first aid, horrified. “Bad news is, I got attacked by some asshole.” He finally mumbled, sitting down as his mother got to work. Annemarie fished out a bag of frozen vegetables to place over his bruise. He gratefully accepted it as Wendy studied his lip.

 

“Adam, what happened?!” Wendy demanded.

 

“I went to pick up dinner, and I met one of my friends, Joanna...some asshole kept hitting on her, wouldn’t take no for an answer, so…” Adam shrugged, “I figured I’d try to help.”

 

“Are you  _ crazy _ ?” Annemarie exclaimed, “You got hurt!”

 

“You should see the other guy…” Adam chuckled, hissing in pain as Wendy rubbed disinfectant on his lip, “...I mean, he had a knife, and he was being creepy with Jo--!”

 

“--a  _ knife _ ?!” Wendy interrupted, covering her mouth, “ _ Honey _ ! You’re lucky you made it home!”

 

“It’s not a big deal, Mom,” Adam grumbled, “As long as he left Joanna alone--besides, the guys gave me the food for free, probably so I wouldn’t talk to the cops or something--better, anyway. I didn’t wanna leave you guys starving…”

 

“How did you even get out of that?!” Annemarie demanded, “I  _ knew  _ I should’ve went with you!”

 

“Hell no!” Adam exclaimed, “If that asshole attacked you, I’d end up killin’ ‘em! Besides, Spider-Man swung in before it got super crazy--!”

 

“--Spider-Man?!” Annemarie’s eyes grew wide. “ _ Spider-Man  _ helped you?!”

 

“Uh-huh,” he muttered as Wendy finished her work. He kept the veggies on his face as he continued, “Webbed the guy to the wall, made sure he didn’t cause any more trouble.”

 

“Well, I’m lucky,” Wendy took his chin in her hand, “the food wouldn’t have meant anything if it meant my boy didn’t come home.” She wiped tears from her eyes, and Adam felt guilty, “Aw, Mom, it wasn’t that bad…”

 

“Spider-Man saved my son, and for that, I’m grateful. Oh, honey…” Wendy hugged him, sniffling. Adam awkwardly hugged her back, shooting Annemarie a  _ help me  _ look. She shook her head, mouthing,  _ I’m glad you’re okay,  _ and he gave a nod before patting his mother’s back.

 

“Uh...can we eat now, Mom? I’m starving…”

 

\---

 

After dinner (and after many tearful hugs from Wendy to Adam), Annemarie found herself pacing in her room, barely containing her excitement as she ran over the events Adam retold them over and over again. A part of her wondered if perhaps she was destined to chase the web-slinging hero--from saving her twice, to saving her brother! It was far too much to be a coincidence. Grinning to herself, Annemarie picked up her copy of the school paper, rereading her article and running her fingers over the picture Peter managed to get of him. An idea came to her as she took a deep breath and whispered aloud, “No more beating around the bush.” 

 

She booted up her laptop, made sure the lighting in her room was dim and ambient and not too bright. If she wanted to get up close and personal with Spider-Man, she was going to have to break out of her comfort zone and resort to a bigger tactic. Annemarie brushed her hair, put on light makeup as she put her hat on once more. Finally, she fished out her phone, calling the first person she could think of.

 

It took several rings, but when he finally picked up, he sounded almost out of breath, “Hello?”

 

“Peter?” Annemarie frowned, “Sorry, are you busy?”

 

“Uh, n--no, I’m good, I’m just--!” There was a clattering sound on the other end, followed by Peter’s distant, “ _ dammit! _ ” before he finally responded coherently, “Sorry, just dropped the phone. No, I’m not busy, just--just got in, actually.”

 

“Now?” Annemarie glanced at the clock, “It’s almost eight, Peter!”

 

“Uh...I was getting groceries for my aunt! Y--yeah...uh, so, what’s up?”

 

“You aren’t going to  _ believe  _ what happened today.” Annemarie began excitedly, retelling him everything that happened with Adam and how Spider-Man saved the day once again. 

 

On the other end, Peter mentally smacked himself. How lucky did he have to be to rescue her  _ brother  _ in that restaurant, for goodness’ sakes? When she finished, he stammered out, “So, uh--uh, what’re you gonna do? Write another article?” He prayed she wouldn’t. No more Spidey hunting. He just wanted her off his back. The less she knew about him, the better.

 

“Nope,” she chirped, “I’ve got a better idea.” She readied her webcam as she proclaimed, “I’m going to post a vlog. Just one! I’m not really into the video thing, but...I feel like maybe he’ll be out there. And he’ll listen.”

 

“You’re gonna call Spider-Man out in a video?” Peter closed his eyes, not prepared for her answer.

 

“Something like that. I’ll send you the video when it’s done. You know how to edit video, right? Maybe you can make it sound polished and cool before I actually post it?”

 

_ Oh, geez.  _ “Uh...sure, I’ll do that.”

 

“You’re the  _ best _ , Peter!” Annemarie squeaked, “I’ll send it to you when it’s done! Later!”

 

She hung up before he could respond. Peter could only stare at his phone, running a hand through his hair, 

 

“Just my luck…”

 

It was an hour until Annemarie finally texted him, asking for his e-mail so she could send him the video she’d recorded, and asking him to upload it to YouTube once he finished. He obliged, and in another five minutes he was opening the video file. 

 

He felt as if he were intruding on her privacy as she appeared on his screen, adjusting the angle of her camera before sitting down in her desk chair, the walls behind her painted purple with tons of space posters and girly accessories. She was wearing her hat, as usual, and she nervously folded her hands on her lap before looking into the camera, or in Peter’s case, his eyes.

 

“Um…” she hesitated, her shyness evident as she began, “Usually, I...don’t do things like this. But, um...given the events of what happened today, I...figured I’d come clean about it.”

 

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again Peter noticed how her shyness seemingly melted away, her conviction making her voice slightly stronger,

 

“My name is Annemarie Abbey. I’m fifteen years old, and I’ve just moved to New York with my mom and my older brother, Adam from Orange County, California. It’s been...a decent first month here. I like it way better here than in Cali. I actually have friends now, for one…” Peter frowned at that. She didn’t seem like the type of person to not have  _ any  _ friends whatsoever. He continued to watch, paying close attention.

 

“I digress. I’m...I’ve been very lucky as of late. I was in danger twice before. And in those two times, I was rescued by the masked hero we all know as Spider-Man.

 

“He doesn’t ask for thanks. He doesn’t do it for the fame, because he always leaves when police and reporters show up. But I’m posting his video because I want to address him personally, and--and this is the only way I know how.” She raised a finger now, pointed, “And I know you’re out there, Spider-Man, so I know at some point this video is going to reach you.” She put her hand back down, took another deep breath as she continued,

 

“I know you think that most of the public eye sees you as a menace to society, a threat to their safety. But I disagree. You’ve saved me from peril twice. I’ve seen you rescue many other people, and...and tonight, you rescued my older brother. Because of you, he made it home tonight. And my brother means the absolute world to me,” she bit her lower lip, became quiet as she uttered, “He’s my best friend, and you saved him. And for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. All I ask is for one moment to thank you. Because I know what it’s like to be misunderstood in this world. To--to be alone. I know that sounds so lame,” She giggled, more of a nervous giggle than an amused one, “...but I want you to know, Spider-Man, that I’m not afraid of you. You are no threat to New York City, and you are no threat to me. My name is Annemarie Abbey, and...and I’m willing to listen.”

 

Her words hit him, and Peter swallowed the growing nervous lump in his throat. So it wasn’t just morbid fascination. She found she oddly related to him on some level. And, honestly, when was the last time someone actually thanked him? True, he never asked for it, but given how silent and vast his other life seemed, it hit him then how it could get lonely at times. He couldn’t talk to May. Or Ned. Or anyone, really. Not even about Uncle Ben. He sighed, watched as she gave another nervous laugh and said,

 

“Okay, um...I guess that’s it. Thanks...thanks for watching…”

 

She reached over, perhaps to turn off her camera, and that was when the video cut off. Peter let out another sigh, sat back as he wondered just what exactly he was going to do.

 

“Who was that?” He jumped at the new voice, and Peter whirled around to find his Aunt May standing there, leaning against the open doorway, arms crossed as she furrowed her brow in curiosity. 

 

“Uh, just a friend from school,” Peter replied, scratching the back of his neck, “We, uh...we work on the newspaper together…”

 

“She’s really pretty,” May remarked, smiling softly, “What’s her name?”

 

“Uh...Annemarie…”

 

“She sounds like a fan of this Spider-Man,” She sighed, “Either way, she’s adorable. I hope I get to meet her one of these days.” She shot him a look.

 

He felt his cheeks heat up as he stuttered out, “ _ May _ , she’s...she’s just a friend, is all!”

 

“Mm-hmm,” she nodded, “that’s how it always starts. Make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time! Don’t stay up too late on that computer of yours, okay?”

 

“‘Kay.” He mumbled as she left him to his thoughts, still unsure of what to do. He paused for a moment, briefly texting Annemarie to let her know he’d be posting it before finally doing so. She’d texted him a thanks, and Peter found himself watching her video long after May had went to bed.

 

\---

 

It was almost midnight, she had class with Dr. Connors in the morning, and for the life of her, Annemarie couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, laid on her back, her side, her stomach, curled up in a ball. She tossed the blankets off and it was too cold. If she put the blankets on, it was too hot and oppressive. Or maybe that was her crippling anxiety about her video. Now, as she laid in bed and thought about it, she felt ridiculous. What if she was just being a loser? What if everyone in school saw it (which she knew they probably would) and laugh at her? What about Peter? What if he thought she was creepy and obsessive and weird and stupid and--

 

She jumped when she heard something land on her fire escape outside. She eyed her wall, where she spotted a shadow from outside, and fear crawled up her spine as she slowly sat up, searching for a possible weapon in case it was a burglar. She couldn’t find much of anything, settling for her hair straightener to throw at the potential intruder while she would scream for help. Annemarie slowly crawled out of bed, and once she got to her feet, she jumped when she heard a  _ tap-tap-tap _ at her window. 

 

With trembling hands, Annemarie closed her eyes, grabbed her curtain and mentally counted to three before yanking them open and opening her eyes.

 

The goggles that met her eyes were familiar, and she dropped her straightener on the floor as she yanked her window open, her eyes wide and her heart plummeting to her feet as she realized just who had stopped on her fire escape. He gave a wave before quipping,

  
“So I heard you were asking for me.”


	12. Late Night Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! I didn't wanna leave you guys with that cliffhanger for too long. This particular chapter makes me a bit nervous, I really hope you guys enjoy this one. Feedback is appreciated and much love from me to you!

_ He’s here,  _ was the only thought Annemarie’s mind could conjure up as she stared dumbfounded at the masked boy crouched on her fire escape. A gentle breeze blew in, cool enough to make her shiver slightly as she leaned out, her messy hair billowing out from its haphazard ponytail. He chuckled, reached out to brush her hair aside. She felt her cheeks heat up at that, and the shock caused her to clear her throat and begin tying her hair back in a high ponytail. When she finished, she whispered, “You’re here.”

 

“In the flesh.”

 

“You…” she grabbed a blanket from her bed, wrapped it around herself as she climbed out, sitting across from him in the tiny space. The moon was a waning crescent in the midnight blue sky, and there were distant shouts from drunken homeless people, but none of that mattered as she uttered, “You’re actually here…” she was completely starstruck. She had already planned multiple scenarios with him in her mind, many different conversations and witty remarks and clever comebacks. But now, as she stared at him, none of that came to mind as she whispered, “You saw my video?”

 

“Yeah, word got around. Nice to see I have a fan.” He replied, a trace of a smile in his voice. “Didn’t know I saved your brother earlier.”

 

“Y--yeah, you did...he was trying to help someone out…”

 

“Yeah, I saw. He’s a nice guy. Needs to be more careful, though.” Spider-Man replied, tilting his head to one side as he remarked, “He means a lot to you.”

 

Thinking about Adam made her smile softly as she nodded, “Yeah...he’s my best friend. He’s always been there for me, ever since I was born.”

 

“Yeah. It’s nice to have that group of people you care about, you know?” Spider-Man muttered, “It gives you something to fight for every day. Something to protect.”

 

“You mean like you?” She asked, slowly gaining her voice, “You have people you care about too, don’t you?”

 

“‘Course I do. I’m not completely antisocial, you know.” 

 

“Like who?” She asked, “Your parents? Your family?” 

 

He remained silent for a long moment, staring at her, perhaps in thought. Annemarie wished she could see his face. Then he would be readable, and she could detect what he was feeling. 

 

“I don’t have my parents,” he quietly admitted, “they died a long time ago.”

 

Her heart broke, “I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be. You didn’t know.”

 

Annemarie bit her lip in thought, paused. She knew she had limited time with him, from potential threats to even her mother or Adam waking up and possibly catching her. She took a chance and asked, “Who are you?”

 

“I’m Spider-Man. What, you didn’t hit your head or anything, did you?” He lightly joked.

 

She giggled, “No, silly...I mean...who are you underneath that mask?”

 

“Classified information, cutie.” 

 

Her cheeks heated up at the word  _ cutie.  _ “Classified…?” she briefly wondered for a moment before eagerly asking, “Are you...with anyone? Like the Avengers or something?”

 

“Nah. I’m more of a freelance kind of guy.”

 

“Riding solo, huh? Sounds dangerous.” she briefly cheered to herself for managing to sound flirty and cool in front of  _ Spider-Man.  _ What surprised her was his quick and rapid-fire response,

 

“Why? You worried about me?”

 

She wasn’t prepared for him to actually  _ flirt back _ . In her imagination, she figured he would laugh and be valiant as he gently rebuked her quippy remarks. But alas, she was rendered silent, her cheeks heating up again. She shyly looked down, picking at an imaginary lint on her blanket, “Erm...you just constantly put yourself in danger...don’t you get scared?”

 

There was another pause before he answered, “All the time. But that doesn’t mean I should freeze up and stay away.”

 

She looked up at him again, found him still staring at her--or at least, appearing to. She eyed the web-shooters on his wrists before asking, “What are your webs made of?”

 

“Classified.”

 

“Were you born with your powers, or did something happen?”

 

Pause. “Something happened.”

 

“What happened?”

 

Another pause. It was then Annemarie realized how rude she sounded, “I’m sorry...I shouldn’t be asking all these questions..you’re finally here, and all I have is so many questions swimming in my head...when all I should be doing is thanking you for saving me those two times--and saving my brother tonight.”

 

“I shouldn’t even be here, honestly,” Spider-Man replied, so quiet she almost didn’t hear him, “I should be as far away as possible. But yet here I am.”

 

She leaned forward, whispered, “What made you decide to come here?”

 

Yet another pause. Finally, he looked away, and Annemarie wasn’t sure if she was bothered by that or relieved that he wasn’t staring so intently anymore. 

 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess...it’s not every day someone actually wants to talk to me.”

 

There was something in his voice, a feeling Annemarie recognized as she swallowed, took a chance and rested a hand on his shoulder. When he met her eyes again, she whispered, “Thank you for saving me. And my brother.”

 

He nodded.

 

“And...I’m glad you’re here. I...look, sometimes it’s good to talk to someone. Whether you’re a superhero or not. So...I mean, if you need to--!”

 

His head jerked around to face the direction of the street, where distant police sirens were growing louder. He hesitated, looked at her again as he uttered, “I’ve got to go.”

 

Annemarie struggled for a moment before hearing the sirens and understanding, “Someone out there needs you.”

 

He nodded again, “Sorry to cut this meeting short.” 

 

“Don’t worry. W--will I see you again?” she quietly asked.

 

He hesitated, “...I don’t know.” He said finally. 

 

Not the answer she wanted to hear. Annemarie deflated, “I have so many questions…”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll be around.”

 

“Should I wait until you save me again?” She giggled.

 

He didn’t answer, perhaps not amused at her joke. 

 

“Sorry, sorry...erm…” She was shy now, hesitant until it dawned on her, “...wait, how did you remember where I live?”

 

His answer made her cheeks heat up, “Like I said, you’re hard to forget.” 

 

He rose to his feet, aimed a web at an adjacent building. He turned, waved, “Later, cutie.”

 

And he was gone, off to save someone else.

 

\---

 

Despite the fact that Annemarie barely got any sleep, it was simply because her mind was racing with the excitement, rush, and realization that  _ she just met Spider-Man.  _ She had finished getting ready to head to Dr. Connors’ Saturday class, and was practically floating into the kitchen where a half-asleep Adam groaned in greeting, fishing out the carton of orange juice and chugging it down.

 

“Morning, Adam!” she chirped, surprisingly not disgusted at witnessing her brother drink directly from the juice carton. “How’s your bruise?”

 

As he turned to face her, she couldn’t fight the urge to wince: while the swelling had went down, Adam’s lip was still cut, and the ugly black-and-blue welt still took up most of his face. He looked as if he barely slept himself, perhaps because he slept on the side where his bruise resided.

 

“Uncomfortable as fuck,” Adam grumbled, “had to sleep on my left side. I  _ never  _ sleep on my left side. I  _ always  _ sleep on my right. But apparently, because of that asshole’s boot hitting my  _ face… _ ” 

 

She winced in sympathy, “I’m sorry, Adam. Maybe you can try to nap today?”

 

“Well, Mom’s still asleep...least until she wakes up at ten for Dad’s weekly phone call…” Annemarie tried not to show emotion regarding that statement as Adam continued, “I might just try to sleep in a little...I’m beat…” He took a swig of the last of the juice before chucking the carton in the recycle bin, “You off to Connors’ class?”

 

Annemarie nodded, “Yup! Another day of extended learning!”

 

“Well, can you ask him what the hell question five on page 82 of the textbook means? That shit has me stumped.”

 

She giggled, “You could always come with me, you know. Dr. Connors did extend the invitation to you if you start struggling.”

 

“Yes, but  _ sleep,  _ Anne.” He dramatically replied, “ _ Sleeeeeeep. _ Seriously, when you start college, you’re gonna miss not being able to sleep so damn much!”

 

“Lazy,” she shook her head in disapproval.   
  


He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, you’ll thank me for the advice someday. Be careful out there.”

 

“You got it.” She slung her bag over her shoulder, adjusted her hat so it sat comfortably on her head. “Later, pizza roll.”

 

He gave a fond grin at the nickname, “Bye, dumpling.”

 

\---

 

The lecture hall was filled with adult students, plus Annemarie in the very front, the first seat in the middle, closest to Connors’ desk as he spoke passionately about the many different characteristics of reptiles and amphibians. At first, she was paying attention. She really was. She was writing notes, adding little annotations and fun facts in the margins for extra benefit, and then in fifteen minutes her mind drifted to the night before, to the masked boy who’d flirted with her, spoke to her, called her  _ cutie,  _ and her heart was aflutter and she was doodling little spiders in the margins, working on intricate web designs as she wondered-- _ hoped _ \--she would see him again. The smile was tugging at her lips and her cheeks heated up at the fond memory as she was just about to finish her doodle--

 

“Miss Abbey?”

 

She was jolted out of her memory, looking up sharply to find Dr. Connors standing directly over her, where he had a perfect view of her notes--or in this case, her doodles. His eyes held an amused light to them as he asked, “What  _ genus _ does the flying gecko of Southeast Asia fall under?”

 

Thankfully, she knew the answer to that one, running over Adam’s haphazard notes two days before. She swallowed, murmured shyly, “ _ Ptychozoon _ , Dr. Connors.”

 

“Very good, Miss Abbey,” He gave a knowing smile before resuming his lecture. Mortified, Annemarie sunk lower in her chair as she continued taking notes.  _ Way to look ridiculous in front of THE Curt Connors.  _

 

By the time class had been dismissed, she was once again at his desk, ready to apologize and also ask him about that question Adam had. He was putting his papers away, not looking at her but knowing she was there. When she opened her mouth to speak, however, he beat her to punch,

 

“Arachnids are not reptiles  _ or  _ amphibians, Miss Abbey. Though I will admit they are quite fascinating creatures.”

 

Her cheeks heated up, and Annemarie wanted nothing more than to sink through the floor. “Um...sorry about that, Dr. Connors. I...I kind of drifted off…”

 

“You certainly did,” Connors looked up, adjusted his glasses before smiling, “You’ve gotten quite swept away in your endeavor regarding the Spider-Man.”

 

Even more heat to the cheeks. “Yes, sir.”

 

“And you’ve written the article, I presume?” 

 

“Yes, sir. I have a copy of the paper in my bag, if you’d like to see it.”

 

“I would. Let’s see, then.” He held out his hand, and she quickly managed to fish it out, handing the paper to him. He commented, “Ah, first page! Your aspirations certainly carried you far, Miss Abbey…” before beginning to read her piece. Annemarie felt self-conscious then, wishing to hide behind the desk and not come out until he left the room. She hoped he would like it and not deem it a silly child’s piece. But alas, would he? He was an esteemed scientist while she was merely--

 

“Quite interesting, Miss Abbey,” Connors nodded in approval, handing her the paper back, “You presented your ideas with facts, testimonials, and kept it short, sweet, and to the point. My only critique is how your opinion bled into a pieced based originally on facts. Alas, you are beginning your endeavor in journalism, and it is very informative. You have a very promising future.” 

 

“You don’t find it juvenile and ridiculous?”

 

“Certainly not, Miss Abbey. I quite dislike the word  _ juvenile  _ when describing a young person’s work--it sounds rather condescending, if I do say so myself. You’ve done well.”

 

“Thank you, Dr. Connors!” His praise made her day. It was then she remembered, “Oh, yes! Dr. Connors, I bring forth a question regarding question five in page 82 of your textbook from my brother.”

 

“Is he confused about it?”

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Tell him to watch my documentary on flying geckos, the--!’

 

“-- _ The Astounding Flight of the Gecko _ ,” Annemarie fondly concluded, “One of my personal favorites. I can easily find it on YouTube for him.”

 

“He’s smarter than he gives himself credit for, Miss Abbey. He often second guesses his answers on quizzes or lectures. Tell him he’s doing well. He just needs to trust himself more.”

 

“I will.”

 

“As for your newfound affinity to those acquainted with arachnids…” He rose to his feet, preparing to leave. Annemarie grabbed some of his folders in an attempt to assist him as she followed him, “...I find your fascination teetering over the edge of infatuation. Am I wrong?”

 

Annemarie shyly nodded, “I…” She hesitated, wondered if she should indeed tell Connors of her encounter with Spider-Man. She knew the masked boy wanted to stay hidden, especially with how tight-lipped he had been in regards to giving his real name. Besides, if she wanted to see him again, perhaps it was best to remain tight-lipped herself. Nevertheless, she replied, “...I guess maybe I have gotten carried away with thinking about him so much.”

 

Connors gave an amused smile, “Forgive me if I remind you, Miss Abbey, that you are unaware of his true identity.”

 

The disappointment that tugged at Annemarie was hard to ignore, “I...I know. It’s just a silly crush. It’ll pass, I’m sure of it.”

 

They made it outside, where the sun was shining on a chilly autumn day. Fellow students were on their way to classes, hangouts, whatever events that took their day. By the time Connors and Annemarie separated in front of the library once more, she had turned to head to the train station to begin her trek home only to stop upon noticing someone standing across the street, holding a camera, the lens seemingly pointed at her. A brief flutter of anxiety awakened in her heart, and her shoulders rose instinctively, but when the lens lowered she recognized a familiar pair of dark eyes staring at her.

 

“Peter…?”

 

\---

 

He’d spent the entirety of the night and well into his morning wondering if he did the right thing. 

 

Peter had returned to his bedroom shortly after separating from Annemarie on the fire escape and after stopping a late-night mugging. Thankfully, May was long asleep by the time he donned his costume to head out for the night, and when he returned it was barely dawn. He hadn’t slept, instead napping for about a half an hour before waking up to creaking noises in his bedroom, filling his senses and making him paranoid for the briefest of moments before he realized it was merely the radiator. It was then he found himself thinking about his encounter with Annemarie, his mind drifting as he fiddled with his web-shooters.

 

Was it the best idea to confront her, especially so soon after he had posted her video? Was it even a good idea to confront her, period? Despite her seemingly innocent reasons for wanting to reach out to his alter-ego, Peter hated the paranoia that filled him as he thought of the worst-case scenario: she would oust him somehow, tell the school, maybe tell the whole city, and he’d have to go into hiding and Aunt May would freak out and then  _ he  _ would freak out and--

 

“She’s not like that…” he’d mumbled to himself in an attempt to silence his racing thoughts. No, she couldn’t be. She had been so earnest, so open, so vulnerable in a way he hadn’t seen before when he was with her during the day. He wanted to be honest with her, tell her who he was, how he got his powers, but when she bombarded him with all of those questions, he found he wasn’t prepared for that just yet. He wasn’t even sure if he could truly trust her, despite her innocent reasons. Maybe if he talked to her again…

 

He groaned at the possibility. He definitely didn’t want to be seen as a menace anymore. He was especially tired of having to go through the whirlwind of being a superhero all on his own, but could he be  _ that  _ accessible to a girl he’d only just befriended? Wouldn’t it be weird? Wouldn’t it be dangerous?

 

The constant overthinking was beginning to take its toll on Peter, and it was well into the morning when he decided to take Uncle Ben’s camera and head out again. Maybe spending time outside as himself would help somewhat. May hadn’t questioned him when he said he was going out--he’d fibbed a little, claimed he was taking photos for the newspaper. He’d gotten on a train, got off, found himself wandering aimlessly down the streets of Manhattan, hands stuffed in his pockets as he wandered.

 

And then he’d spotted Dr. Curt Connors across the street.

 

He’d stopped dead in his tracks, almost colliding into a pedestrian on his phone. Peter had lifted his camera to take a photo, and found himself fascinated at the scientist as he waved his hand at his companion beside him, clearly female. She wasn’t facing the camera, her back was turned and she was waving at Connors as he disappeared into the building. Disheartened at missing his shot, it was then Peter recognized the familiar bowler hat, and when she turned, perhaps to leave, their eyes met.

 

She’d tensed, but when he lowered his camera, she recognized him, and she’d opened her mouth, said his name before a small smile tugged at her lips and she waved.

 

He hesitated before waving back, realizing he wasn’t in his costume, so he could (thankfully) be himself without letting anything slip.

 

She looked both ways before quickly hurrying across the street, her eyes bright and her smile wide as, to his surprise, she hugged him in greeting. “Peter! Hi!” She cheerfully chirped, pulling away to meet his eyes, “How are you?”

 

He blinked, “I’m okay...uh...was--was that Connors?” He pointed to the library, where Connors had disappeared to. He knew it was probably a stupid question to ask, but it came out anyway. 

 

She nodded, “Yeah! I, um, tend to crash his Saturday morning class. Partially because I want to learn from him, and partially to help my brother out whenever he doesn’t understand weekday lectures.” She giggled, “So, what brings you here? Got college classes of your own?”

 

“Nah, just wandering around. Just, uh, taking pictures...not--not of you. Because--because that would be creepy…” he rambled. 

 

“Well, either way, it’s great to see you,” she sounded genuine, “it’s nice to bump into a friend. Are you busy? Maybe we can grab pizza or something. I have to admit, I’m addicted. Pizza in California isn’t the same as it is here…”

 

“I’m guessing not, but I’ve never been to California,” Peter replied, chuckling, “W--why, are you hoping to write another article or something?”

 

She looked at him oddly, “No. I was just...figuring we hang out. I mean, if I end up finding a good subject to write about, I’ll let you know. But...I mean...I know it sounds lame, but you’re honestly the first person I felt I could really talk to when I...started school…” She looked down, suddenly shy.

 

He absently thought back to when she spoke in her video, how she’d mentioned she didn’t really have friends where she came from. “It’s--it’s not lame...I know a really good place.”

 

She lit up, “Great! I’ll just text my mom to let her know I’ll be with you!”

 

\---

 

It was relatively small, complete with a counter that showcased the different types of pizza behind a well-polished glass. The tables were white and the seats were red. There were only a few people eating, a mother with her children closest to the front, a couple of college students in the back. Peter and Annemarie found themselves closest to the ovens, where the warmth was welcome in the autumn chill.

 

He was not the first person to eye her oddly as she gleefully sat across from him with two slices of pineapple pizza. When she met his eyes, she blushed, her cheeks a vivid pink, “What? I like pineapples on pizza!” She uttered, taking small bites. 

 

It was the most food he’d seen on her plate, but he shook his head, “It’s cool. I’ve just never actually seen someone eat it before…”

 

She felt self-conscious still, avoiding his eyes for the first five minutes. Annemarie was always uncomfortable with people watching her eat. It made anxiety crawl up her spine, made her want to hide under the table. Some of her tension eased away when he asked,

 

“So...what’s it like in California, anyway?”

 

Surprisingly, her lips curled into a grimace as she admitted, “I’m honestly not the best person to tell you about it. I...I guess you could say I wasn’t built for California? It’s always sunny, it’s always dry, and it’s always mild or warm, depending on the season. Everyone’s always...crazy about fitness. They run, ride their bikes, go to the beach...I mean, maybe it’s ideal for people who like that sort of thing, but it never...growing up, it never stuck.”

 

“So...what would you do?”

 

“Stay home,” she stated plainly, “I’d watch documentaries about anything and everything. I would read. I’d study. I’m honestly pretty boring,” she gave a sheepish smile.

 

“I don’t think any of that stuff’s boring!” Peter protested, “It sounds like you were probably the smartest girl in school!”

 

Her cheeks went pink again, “Well, I don’t know about  _ that _ . I...I mean, I did well in school. But...making friends was always difficult. I...I felt I didn’t belong. Everyone liked the beaches, and skipping school...copying off my tests and my homework...whatever so-called friends I  _ did  _ have, it was only what I could do for them, not because they actually liked me.”

 

He knew that feeling all too well. “I’m sorry.”

 

She shook her head, “I wasn’t lonely. I had my books. I had my mom. And I had Adam...when he was around,” she smiled brightly, “he’s better built for Cali than I am.”

 

“What about your dad?” Peter blurted out. He frowned when he saw her shoulders tense, and her eyes left his as she stared hard at her pizza.

 

“He’s still in Cali,” she quietly said, “He’s a contractor, and he’s got some big projects before he can potentially come to live here. Though he’s not big on big cities...he might just stay in Orange County and we’ll visit every summer.”

 

She pushed her plate away, “I might...save this for later, I’m not sure.”

 

Peter’s frown deepened. She’d only had a few bites. A part of him worried--she only ate apples for lunch when he did see her. He guessed Annemarie didn’t have much of an appetite--she was small and quite thin. “Are you okay?”

 

She nodded quickly, “Yeah, just think my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Y’know how sometimes we get carried away when in reality, we weren’t that hungry in the first place?” 

 

“Y--yeah, I guess…”

 

“I’ll just ask for a paper bag and bring it home with me,” she gave a grin, but this time it didn’t reach her eyes. Before he could ask her anything, she quickly interjected,

 

“So, um, what about you? Is that camera of yours an old vintage camera?”

 

He nodded, “Yeah, it was my uncle’s.”

 

She beamed, “That’s so cool. You never really see vintage cameras anymore. Is he okay with letting you use it for school?”

 

His heart fell then, “Uh...he’s...he passed away a while ago.” He admitted, taking a sip of his soda.

 

“Oh,” She deflated, similar to when he’d admitted to her his parents died the night before. “I’m so sorry. I…” She covered her mouth, “I really should be more sensitive to--!”

 

“--it’s cool,” he quickly interrupted, “you didn’t know about it, it’s fine.”

 

“Still, I’m really sorry.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“I’m sorry.” She blurted out again, biting her lip.

 

He chuckled then, “It’s okay. Really. I’m okay.”

 

“So...so you live with your aunt, right?”

 

He nodded, “Yeah, me and my Aunt May.”

 

Annemarie decided not to inquire about the circumstances of who he lived with and discuss positive things as she rested her chin on her hand, “What’s she like?”

 

He smiled a bit, “She’s...cool, I guess. She does the best she can, you know?”

 

She nodded in understanding. It was then Peter asked, “So, uh...your video got quite a few views. D’you...think Spider-Man’ll come forward?” He averted his gaze, paid very close attention to his soda.

 

Annemarie froze, her smile falling as she debated with herself for the second time whether or not to come clean about her encounter. She trusted Dr. Connors, but still wanted to protect Spider-Man. But what about Peter? He was sweet, didn’t seem like the type to blurt out secrets like that...besides, they worked together on the paper. Eventually, he would figure out where she was getting her Spidey information. But could she trust him?

 

He frowned, noticing her long pause, “...Annemarie?”

 

“I don’t know,” she blurted out, “I mean...if he comes out, he’ll come out. If he doesn’t, it’ll suck, but at least my opinion’s out there, you know?” She didn’t particularly like lying, but she wasn’t sure if she could tell anyone about her conversation with the web-slinger the night before. Staying quiet was probably the best option for now.

 

A part of Peter was a bit surprised she hadn’t admitted she’d seen him. Another part of him was relieved. Perhaps he  _ could  _ trust her, after all, if she chose to stay quiet. Perhaps he  _ could  _ see her just  _ one  _ more time…

 

“Either way, I’m sure he’s seen it.” Peter replied.

 

Her smile returned, a hopeful one, “You really think so?”

 

“Yeah! I mean, I’m sure he’s got...internet access and stuff…” he mumbled.

 

“He probably thinks I’m some loser,” Annemarie rolled her eyes, “I must have sounded so lame…”  _ He didn’t SEEM to think that way when he saw me… _

 

“Well, I didn’t think you were lame,” He frowned, “I thought you were being honest. And sometimes, honest is the best--best way to be.”

 

She shyly bit her lip, “Thanks, Peter. I’m glad  _ you  _ don’t think I’m a loser.”

 

“If anyone’s the loser, it’s me,” Peter lightly joked, “I read books and build computers in my free time.”

 

Her eyes went wide, “You  _ build  _ computers? That’s so cool! Like, you build the  _ whole  _ computer?”

 

He nodded, “Motherboards are hard to come by, but yeah.”

 

“That’s amazing! How long does it take to build a computer?” She asked innocently, her eyes big and wide with interest.

 

He chuckled, “Depends on how busy I am. Sometimes it’s a couple of hours, if I have all the right materials. Otherwise, it can take days, maybe weeks.”

 

“Where do you get your materials? Tech stores?”

 

He sheepishly uttered, “Uh...not exactly…”

 

“Then where?” 

 

How much of a loser would he seem to her if he admitted he found most of his parts in the garbage? How creepy would he seem? He decided to lie, “Just...around. I know some guys who tend to...give me some old parts.”

 

“Can you teach me one day? I’d love to learn how to build a computer!”

 

Her fascination made him chuckle fondly, “Yeah, sure.”

 

Annemarie flashed him a cheerful smile before checking her phone, “I should probably get going. I’ve still got some homework to do and I’ve got some notes for my brother to borrow. I’ll get these slices wrapped, too…”

 

“Uh, yeah...yeah, no problem.” Peter moved to get up.

 

“Thanks for hanging out with me,” Annemarie replied sweetly, “I...it’s nice to hang out with a friend.” 

 

He couldn’t ignore the heat rising to his cheeks, “Uh...sure. No problem. I...I had fun.” He replied honestly.

 

“Me too! Maybe next time we’ll invite Ned, too!” 

 

“Yeah…”

 

They walked to the train station in a comfortable silence, and when they separated at last, Annemarie had hugged him goodbye. He was still too surprised at the gesture to respond as she had pulled away and said she’d see him at school on Monday. 

 

He’d made his decision then. 

 

One more time wouldn’t hurt.

 

\---

 

Later that night, after Adam had taken her binder captive and sang teasing songs about her doodles while studying her notes, Annemarie began quizzing herself on algebra equations and formulas in her room, laying on her back in bed as she ran over her flash cards.

 

“The Pythagorean Theorem applies to right triangles,” Annemarie mumbled, frowning in thought, “Aaaaand the equation is  _ a _ _ 2 _ _ \+ b _ _ 2 _ _ = c _ _ 2 _ .” 

 

She turned the card, grinned to herself upon discovering she was right. Moving onto the next card, which read  _ define the equation that creates a parabola when graphed.  _ She prattled it off quickly, “The equation is  _ y = x _ _ 2 _ .” 

 

Just as she turned the card to check if she was correct (despite knowing she was), there was a  _ tap-tap-tap  _ at her window. Annemarie sat up, dropped her flash cards in the process. They fell fluttering on her hair, and she shook them off before hurrying to her window, pulling back the curtains.

 

There he was again, to her equal shock and delight. Annemarie held up a finger to indicate  _ one moment, please.  _ He nodded as she hurried to her bedroom door, made sure it was locked before hurrying back and opening her window, climbing out to greet him.

 

“You’re back!” she whispered, grinning widely, “I...I thought...for a moment, that you wouldn’t…”

 

“I was in the neighborhood,” Spider-Man replied cheekily, “Figured I’d say hi to my favorite cutie.”

 

She giggled, “Do you say that to all the other girls?” She teased, immediately comfortable with the masked boy.

 

He tilted his head as he quipped, “What other girls?”

 

Her cheeks heated up as she bit her lip, “So...um…how are you? Did you have a rough day crimefighting?” She wasn’t sure what to do or say. But her heart was racing because  _ he was with her again.  _

 

“Nothing too big today. Stopped a street fight from getting bad. Fought off some guy robbing a bakery. Helped an old lady cross the street. Gotta say, I’m getting kind of antsy.”

 

“Isn’t a quiet day good?” She asked, “I mean, there isn’t as much danger for you…”

 

“Well, yeah, but I kind of make my living on helping everybody.” Spider-Man seemed to study her through those goggles, silent for a moment before continuing, “What about you? Anybody give you any trouble?”

 

It was odd how he seemed almost concerned over her, “N--no. My day was super boring compared to yours…”

 

There was a brief moment of silence between them, only for Annemarie to break it first,

 

“You must have some sort of name. I mean, I can’t just call you  _ Spider-Man. _ ”

 

“Why not? Sounds cooler.”

 

“But this…” she sighed, “...honestly, tell me, are you here to appease me? Or…” She swallowed nervously, “...or because you wanted to see me again?”

 

He paused, regarding her for a long time before admitting, “Why wouldn’t I want to see you if I was in the neighborhood?”

 

“Do you even remember my name still?”

 

“Annemarie.” He replied instantly, and hearing her name escape his lips made her heart inadvertently skip a beat. The smile that tugged at her lips was hard to resist, “So you  _ do  _ still remember...well, what do I call you, then?”

 

“I told you, I’m Spider-Man. I like cute girls, coffee dates, and long walks on the beach. Please don’t swipe left, I make amazing pancakes.” He retorted wryly.

 

Despite trying to remain serious and level-headed, Annemarie found herself giggling at his joke. She clutched at the rails of her fire escape, shook her head, “I’ll call you  _ Spidey,  _ then, how about that?”

 

“Sounds fine to me.” 

 

She sighed, “So...um...you managed to come back.” she spoke quietly now.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“May...may I ask why?” she took a risk.

 

He looked down, sighed himself before answering, “Maybe because I want to know more about you. Maybe...maybe I want to make sure I can trust you.”

 

“And how were you planning to figure that out?”

 

He met her eyes, “Tell me about you.”

 

His answer surprised her. “I--what?”

 

“Tell me about you,” he repeated, “what makes you tick. Why you like wearing hats. Why you like  _ Star Trek _ , of all things.”

 

She smiled a bit at the last part, “....how will that help you?”

 

“You can tell a lot about people by what they value,” he replied seriously, “what they like. What they dislike. What they hold dear...I...I just feel like I can figure all of that out if you tell me.”

 

She hesitated, bit her lip. 

 

“If--if you’re not comfortable with it, it’s okay…”

 

“No, it’s not that,” she reassured him, “I just...I’m not used to people just asking about me…”

  
“Well, get ready, because I’m about to ask you  _ alllllll  _ the questions.” He teased very lightly, “So...you got me.” He moved, sat on the railing, his elbows on his knees as he watched her, “I’m listening.”


	13. The Life and Times of Annemarie Abbey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took a while to post. :( I'm so sorry. I got sick after posting the last chapter, spent time recovering from that, and lately I've just been working a lot. And yes, this is a bit of a short chapter, so sorry for that as well. However, more Peter/Anne moments in the next update, which I will definitely try to make sooner than this one! 
> 
> ALSO, DID ANY OF YOU SEE THE HOMECOMING FUNKO POPS THEY RELEASED AT THE TOY FAIR? I WANT THEM ALL.
> 
> On a less insane, fangirly note, hope you guys enjoy! Much love!

Annemarie blinked in surprise, a bit overwhelmed. So much had happened in her short life that now, when it came to telling a complete stranger about it, she honestly had no idea where to start. Spider-Man sat patiently on her fire escape, waiting. She looked away, out into the alleyway below, trying to find a decent starting point.

 

“I...I guess there isn’t much to tell,” she began, shrugging, “I’m sorry...I’m just not really sure where to begin…”

 

“I’ll help you out, then,” he replied, “like...your birthday?”

 

She giggled, “February 18th. My mom said I was supposed to be born on Valentine’s Day, but I guess I was a late bloomer.”

 

“So that means your birthday’s coming up soon. Gotta remember to get you a present.” He said, and her heart fluttered at that as she shook her head, 

 

“It’s only September! We still have a ways to go until I’m sixteen!” She giggled, “Anyway...um...I guess I can jump off from my birthday as a starting point…

 

“There really isn't much to go on. I've always been a loser. I loved to read growing up. I loved learning. That's why I spend most of my free time studying. I'm one of  _ those.”  _ She giggled before continuing, “My brother, Adam, is six years older than me. I've always been close to him, he always took care of me. My dad’s in construction. My mom was a stay-at-home mom until she had me. I was about four when she realized she wanted to work. She wanted to provide for us even more. So, she would go to school during the day, because my dad worked during the day, too. I went to the daycare across the street from Adam’s elementary school until I was old enough to start kindergarten. 

 

“Mom went to school for accounting during the day and went to work at night, waiting tables at a diner. She was rarely home, and when she was, she would be so tired. I didn't understand then, of course, because I was a kid--I wanted my mom around because everyone else’s moms would be around. For shows, spelling bees, mathletes, science fairs. It was tough on Adam, too. He was always super protective of me. Still is. Dad worked, too, so it was usually us fending for ourselves till Dad would pick us up from the playground after school. Mom worked so hard to get to where she is today. She works at the bank now, they offered her a job just as Adam transferred from a community college in Cali to college here. I...didn't want to be alone, so I'm here in New York, too. I mean, I didn't have friends in California, anyway. I preferred staying home. Studying. Most people just wanted to copy my test answers and homework. I...I didn't like people like that.” 

 

Annemarie paused now, suddenly self-conscious. He hadn't stopped watching her since she began her story. Her shoulders rose to her ears as she blurted out, “Erm...I'm sorry. I'm really not that interesting…”

 

“What about your dad? You didn't mention him much.”

 

Her skin tingled, and she bristled, “I’m...I'm not really close with my dad. He's...kinda always been more partial to Adam, as he's his only son.” She averted her gaze.

 

Spider-Man tilted his head to one side, “I'm sorry.”

 

“It's fine,” Annemarie shook her head, “He isn't here. He's working on some projects in Cali. It's better. We'd always fight...I'd rather be with Mom and Adam...they get me. You know?”

 

“Yeah, it’s probably better that way.” He cleared his throat, suddenly playfully poked at her hat, “So, what’s the story with this? Every time I see you, you’re wearing it.”

 

“My grandmother gave it to me.” Annemarie explained, “My mom’s mom. She...used to babysit for us before she passed away when I was eight.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

She shook her head once more, “It’s okay. I enjoyed the time I had with her.” She smiled fondly, “She always used to read to us. Anything from  _ Charlotte’s Web  _ to  _ Stuart Little.  _ She lent me her copy of  _ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.  _ She used to make different voices for the characters and...and it was just really fun listening to her read. It’s because of her I got so into reading.”

 

“Yeah?” He sounded as if he were smiling. “She sounds like she was really cool.”

 

“She was. She used to put this hat on my head--back when it was too big for me...and just read to me and Adam. Adam would always interrupt and ask questions,” She giggled, “And now I just keep it. To remind me of her. She’s also where I got the  _ Star Trek  _ affinity.”

 

“I knew it started somewhere.” 

 

“She used to watch reruns, made me watch with her. I used to have a crush on Captain Kirk when I was very little.” She narrowed her eyes, pointed at him, “But you  _ cannot  _ ever repeat what I just told you. Got it?”

 

“Of course not,” Spider-Man placed a hand over his heart, “I’ll never tell anyone about your  _ gigantic  _ crush on Captain Kirk.” He teased, only to laugh when she playfully punched his shoulder, her cheeks pink, “Shut up!”

 

“Did you bat your eyes at the TV screen?”

 

“Shut  _ up! _ ”

 

“I’m serious, y’know, asking this question entirely for research purposes.”

 

“I’ll push you off my fire escape if you don’t stop!” She squeaked, even pinker than before.. 

 

He finally recovered, stopped laughing as he held his stomach, “No, but seriously, you don’t sound boring to me at all. I think you’re one of the most interesting girls I’ve ever met.”

 

Annemarie frowned in disbelief, “Come on, seriously?”

 

“Seriously. Like I said, I don’t...really talk to a lot of people. And...even if I did, I’d still say you’re pretty darn interesting.”

 

The butterflies fluttered feverishly in her chest, and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, “Well...I’ve told you all about me.”  _ Almost everything,  _ she tried to tuck that bitter thought away as it crossed her mind. He knew enough. He didn’t know about her multiple trips to many doctors. He didn’t know about her old habits. And frankly, she wanted to keep it that way. Besides, new life in New York, she figured. She cleared her throat, “So why don’t you tell me all about you?”

 

He grew silent now, as if contemplating whether or not to tell her at all.

 

“Come on, no one else knows about my love for Captain Kirk,” she lightly joked, in hopes of getting him to talk. Truth was, she wanted to know so much. Not even his name. What made  _ him  _ tick? How did he get his superpowers? What made him decide to do all of this? Although, getting a name would mean a lot too.

 

“I…” he trailed.

 

“I can help if you want,” Annemarie quietly whispered, slowly losing hope. “Maybe...like...your birthday?”

 

No reply, instead he took a deep breath, looked away. She looked away, “Or--or not...it’s okay. It’s never easy telling someone about yourself, especially since I’m essentially a complete stranger…”

 

He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and he actually felt bad. “I’ll tell you next time. I...I promise.”

 

That caught her attention, “Next time?”

 

“Yeah. Next time.” He nodded.

 

The smile that slowly tugged at her lips made him smile underneath the mask in turn, “So...there’s going to be a next time?” She asked, hopeful once more.

 

“I dunno, can’t seem to get enough of your face,” he quipped, watching her blush. “But I’ve got to go. Duty calls.”

 

Just like before, he lifted a hand, shot a web, and before swinging off he waved and said, “Later, cutie.”

 

\---

 

His Spidey sense must have been getting better, because when Peter closed his locker that morning, he didn’t jump out of his skin at the sight of Annemarie leaning against the lockers, staring off into space and holding her binder and twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers, her nails freshly polished a pale pink. She didn’t seem to notice him, a distant smile on her lips. Peter hesitated, thinking to his last visit as his alter ego. He had to admit, she  _ was  _ cool, and she didn’t seem malicious in her questions about his identity. And he felt he  _ could  _ talk to her, and he promised he’d see her again. Nevertheless, the doubts returned full force every morning when he woke up, got ready, asked himself if he was really doing the right thing or if he was just being a selfish loser. Finally, he spoke up, “Morning, Annemarie.”

 

She jumped, her eyes meeting his, and her distant, dreamy smile became a grounded and polite one, “Oh! Hi, Peter! How was your weekend?”

 

_ Eventful.  _ “Uh, nothing much happened. Just kinda...stayed home…” He mumbled. “Uh, how about you?”

 

Annemarie bit her lip, wondered if perhaps she should tell Peter about her second encounter with Spider-Man. Finally, she replied, “Kind of boring. A weekend of just watching cheesy Hallmark movies with my mom.”

 

Peter almost made a quip about watching Star Trek, only to realize she  _ hadn’t  _ told Peter Parker that interesting tidbit of information. “Uh--uh--it does sound pretty boring, if you ask me.”

 

She chuckled, “Yeah…”

 

There was a small, awkward pause before both of them spoke in unison.

 

“Uh, so what else did you--?”

 

“So, listen, I was wondering--!”

 

They both stopped, chuckling nervously. “You first,” Peter offered.

 

“Erm...,” She spoke quietly, “...I was just going to ask what else you did over your weekend?”

 

_ Crap. Does she know?  _ “Just...homework and going on the computer…”

 

“Oh.” Annemarie didn’t know why she felt so nervous all of a sudden. Perhaps it was her hesitation about whether or not to tell Peter about her encounters with the webslinger? Maybe this was how Spider-Man felt every day: having a big secret and holding it in was  _ way  _ too much work. But then again, secrets weren’t particularly new to her--

 

“--hang out?”

 

She blinked, realized Peter was talking to her and she completely missed what he’d said. “Sorry, what did you say?” She asked.

 

“Uh...just wondering if...maybe you wanted to hang out again? Like after school or something…” He mumbled. “Ned and I were gonna...watch some movies...and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come too?”

 

Annemarie blinked in surprise. Granted, she had fun hanging out with Peter last time, but she hadn’t thought he’d actually want to hang out again. She smiled, nodded, “Thanks, Peter. I’d like that a lot.”

 

“Cool. So...uh...I’ll see you later in Chemistry?”

  
The bell rang just as he asked that question, and she nodded, waved, “Sure! See you then!”


	14. The Bite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAN THIS CHAPTER WAS HARD TO WRITE. I'm so sorry for the slow update, everyone! Real Life kicked me in the behind with a lot of work hours, plus the surprise early birth of my nephew! I'm hoping he, like my niece, will also have a love for superheroes! Dedicating this little chapter to him in particular. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and also THAT SECOND TRAILER WAS AMAZING, Y'ALL.

When Annemarie went to P.E. later that day, she found it odd how she didn’t spot Peter in the sea of boys playing basketball. She frowned, hoped he was okay. She reminded herself to text him once she was in the locker room. Despite not wanting to play, she’d already sat out once this week, and the coach wasn’t having any excuses this time. Annemarie stood in line with the other girls as the coach picked two team captains. One of them was a tall blonde by the name of Stephanie Barrett. The other was Liz Allan, who had first pick. She’d pondered briefly before picking her only other friend in the class, a girl by the name of Betty. Annemarie busied herself with daydreaming and zoning out, suspecting already that she would be one of the last girls picked. Not that she cared in particular--sports was never her thing anyway.

 

What surprised her was after about a minute, one of the girls elbowed her, getting her attention. “Huh?” She blinked, found a redhead giving her a strange look as she nodded in Liz’s direction. When Annemarie turned, Liz was giving her an amused smile, “Come on, Annemarie! You’re on my team!”

 

_ Huh?,  _ The shock sunk in as Annemarie slowly walked up to the growing group of girls behind Liz. Most of them gave her funny looks, but Liz didn’t seem to notice as they continued picking their teammates. Annemarie stood nervously behind her, clasping her hands as she felt eyes on her. Why did Liz pick her? Was she just getting it over with or something? Was it a ruse? A joke?  _ You can never predict what the popular girls are thinking,  _ Annemarie thought bitterly.

 

After the teams were chosen, they took their places on either side of the volleyball net. Liz beckoned her friend Betty to stand in the front with her, on her right. She waved to Annemarie and said, “Stand on my left, Anne! We’ve got a game to win!” She gave a determined smile, and for a moment Annemarie understood just why Ned and Peter gave stupid googly eyes at the incredibly pretty girl. She hesitated before doing so, still suspicious of Liz’s motives.

 

The game began without any fuss, Liz giving encouraging words or giving strategic advice to her teammates, swearing to win. Surprisingly, Annemarie found she was doing better than expected, hitting the ball when it came in her direction, scoring points for Liz’s team despite not caring if they won or not. 

 

“Great job, Anne! We’re totally kicking butt!” Liz praised, and for a split second, Annemarie felt a swell of gratitude, maybe even some acceptance from someone higher on the social scale. She felt silly for thinking such a way, but nevertheless nodded gamely for Liz’s benefit.

 

The period was almost over and it was Stephanie’s team’s serve. Stephanie readied the ball, clearly frustrated at the prospect of losing. There was a brief pause as she threw the ball in the air before shooting Annemarie a dirty look, perhaps not thrilled that she was scoring the most points for her team. 

 

The next thing Annemarie knew, the ball was served, and as it soared overhead, she instinctively hit the ball, where Stephanie ran up to smack it overhead in a fit of competitive anger. There were several tense moments as Betty smacked the ball, where Liz jumped, missing the ball, and acting on instinct once more, Annemarie hit the ball over the net, where it hit the ground just as the bell rang.

 

“We won!” Liz cheered, “And we  _ never  _ win against Stephanie.” She grinned politely at Annemarie, “Great job! We should totally play on the same team tomorrow!”

 

Surprised at their win, Annemarie nodded, “Um...sure…”

 

What really shocked her then was how Liz draped an arm over her shoulder, walking with her towards the locker rooms, “I  _ love  _ your nails,” she praised, “where do you get them done?”

 

Was this a backhanded compliment? Liz’s nails always looked perfect, so why praise her own mediocre work? Annemarie kept her guard up as she clenched her fists to hide her nails, “I...I do them myself…”

 

“Really? You should totally do my nails sometime! Yours always look so simple and cute.”

 

Liz’s eyes were kind, and she didn’t appear to be faking it. Annemarie gave a small smile, “Um...I guess I could--!”

 

There was a sick  _ thwack!  _ as Annemarie suddenly felt something hard hit her on the side of the face, causing her to fall, bringing Liz with her. Annemarie landed flat on her bottom, immediately touching her lip, where it stung horribly. She took her hand away, widened her eyes at the sight of blood, only to notice the volleyball that hit her bouncing on the floor beside her. Annemarie looked up, finding Liz kneeling over her and asking if she was all right. Behind Liz, Annemarie spotted Stephanie, cruelly grinning and giving her friends a high five.

 

The coach blew on her whistle, waving an arm, “Foul play, Barrett! That’s a detention!”

 

Stephanie’s smile fell immediately, and Annemarie felt humiliated tears fill her eyes as the other girls surrounded her, some staring, others sniggering. Liz, however, looked panicked, “Oh, my God, Annemarie! Are you okay?! You’re bleeding! Coach Kane, she needs the nurse!”

 

Coach Kane hurried up, barking, “All right, girls, out the way, nothing to see here!” As the girls hurried off, still mumbling and sniggering amongst themselves, she took Annemarie’s chin in one hand, appraising the damage. Stephanie passed them then, snapping, “Go back to California,  _ nerd _ .”

 

“Wow,  _ so  _ mature, Steph! Maybe  _ that’s _ why you got kicked off the team last year!” Liz surprisingly snapped back, still kneeling next to Annemarie. 

 

The tears fell, and Annemarie’s mouth curled into a humiliated, pained frown, and the salt of her tears caused the open cut on her bottom lip to sting. 

 

Coach Kane frowned, “That was a nasty hit. I’ll send you to the nurse’s office to get that looked at.”

 

“I can take her, Coach,” Liz offered, but Annemarie shook her head, quickly trying to get up, “N--no...I’ll--I’ll be okay…”

 

“Are you sure?” Liz gently grasped her arm, “It’s not a problem at all. Stephanie’s just jealous because--!”

 

“--I’ll be fine!” Annemarie snapped, quickly moving away. “I’ll just...change and head to the nurse myself…”

 

She was retreating to the locker room before anyone could stop her.

 

\---

 

Annemarie didn’t even bother going to the nurse. She had changed into her clothes quickly, avoiding the stares and giggles and mumbles from the other girls, hurrying out, past poor, unsuspecting Ned, who had called after her, asked where Peter went, why she was ignoring him, and a plethora of other concerned questions. Annemarie just wanted to go home, hide under her covers. It was only when her phone vibrated with texts from both Ned and eventually Peter on her train ride home that she realized they were supposed to hang out. She sighed, feeling horrible as she wiped her tear-filled eyes, texted them both,

 

_ I’m sorry. Won’t be able to make it tonight. Not feeling well. _

 

She knew it was a flimsy and terrible excuse, but she really didn’t want to answer questions as to why her lip was bleeding and swollen. Even if they did, she was certain they’d be angry about her blowing off their precious Liz Allan. She grew bitter at that all of a sudden, wondered if perhaps Liz set it up.

 

_ She seemed nice, though...maybe she’s not a mean person after all… _

 

She quickly shook that thought away as she got off at her stop, began the quiet trek to her apartment. When she unlocked her door, she was unfortunately greeted with the sight of her older brother, home early this time, who had turned from watching some strange sort of show on TV.

 

“Hey, Anne, how’s…” His cheerful grin dropped as he caught sight of her. Immediately he flew out of his seat, hurrying towards her, “Anne, what the  _ fuck _ ?!”

 

She moved away, “It’s fine, Adam--!”

 

“--who the hell did this to you?! What happened?! Was it that fucking Flash Thompson asshole? God, I swear, I’m picking you up from school tomorrow so I can give that little piece of shit a taste of my--!”

 

“--Adam, stop!” Annemarie held up her hands, silencing him. “I’m fine,” she spoke quietly, “Some...a volleyball hit me at gym today. I wasn’t paying attention. It’s fine.”

 

She wouldn’t tell him the truth. He’d get upset and then he’d tell their mother and they’d both freak out and blow it all out of proportion and she didn’t want to deal with any of that. She just wanted to be alone. She watched as he sighed, and she was relieved to see his face was healing, the bruise beginning to fade and the swelling was going down. He ran a hand through his messy dark hair, grabbed her hand, “Come on. At least let me patch you up. Mom’ll  _ freak  _ if she sees you like this…”

 

She sighed, decided to oblige as she dropped her schoolbag on a chair and sat on the kitchen counter while Adam found the first-aid kit, already getting to work. As he dabbed away at her lip with disinfectant, he asked, “So how was school?”

 

She gave a shrug only to hiss in pain as her lip stung. He finished, began putting the supplies away. 

 

“Have I always been weird, Adam?” Annemarie suddenly asked, her self-consciousness briefly getting the best of her.

 

He stopped, met her eyes, pondered a bit before replying, “You’re a nerd, Anne. You prefer studying over partying. You like reading books and watching lame documentaries and filling your brain with thousands and thousands of useless facts that make you a walking trivia dispenser. But,” he reached over, took off her hat as he gave a soft smile, “that stuff makes you happy. That stuff makes you who you are. And you love learning. Whoever says you’re weird because of that doesn’t understand you. That’s all.”

 

Her heart felt less heavy then, and she felt a small smile tug at her lips before remembering her half-boiled excuse as to why she wouldn’t hang out with her friends and feeling guilty once more. “I was supposed to hang out with Ned and Peter after school today. I...I felt stupid because of what happened in P.E. and I just kind of blew them off...I feel horrible about doing that…they were worried and I just pushed them away…”

 

Adam frowned, briefly turned, eyed the clock, “It’s still kind of early. You can still go if you want to.”

 

“What if they don’t want to see me? I mean, I blew them off…”

 

“If they were worried about you like you said, I’d imagine they want to know what’s up. What were you guys gonna do?”

 

“Just watch sci-fi movies and stuff like that…”

 

“That’s right up your alley, Anne! Why don’t you go? You always stay cramped up in the apartment every day--I don’t think Mom’ll mind if you’re out with some friends, as long as you come home at a decent time.”

 

Now it was Annemarie’s turn to frown, “But...you do know my friends are boys, right? Aren’t you going to be, like...super protective right now or something like you always are?”

 

“You clearly had a shit day, and don’t tell me you didn’t,” He said that quickly before she could protest, “I think what you need right now is some time out. Plus, your friends are dorks and I doubt they’ve got any ulterior motives. Yet.” He shrugged, “So go. For once, don’t worry about homework. Or studying. Or being weird. Just go and be you.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“Me? I’m catching up on  _ Ally McBeal,  _ okay? I’ll be fine, trust me.”

 

Annemarie raised an eyebrow, “ _ Ally McBeal? _ ”

 

“Shut up, I think Calista Flockhart’s cute, okay? Just--go! Go out! Watch shitty sci-fi movies! Have a good time!”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Adam wordlessly put her hat back on, picked up her schoolbag and held it out to her. “Bye,” was all he said, “see you later, dumpling.”

 

She regarded the bag before taking it, jumping off from the counter and hugging him. “Bye, pizza roll.”

 

\---

 

When May Parker opened the door, she was not expecting a small, quiet, bowler-hat-wearing girl with long light brown hair and dark eyes. However, she recognized her from the video Peter had been watching a few days before, and gave a pleasant smile, “Hi! You must be one of Peter’s friends.”

 

The girl shyly nodded, “Y--yes. My name is Annemarie, we have class together. And...er...he invited me to hang out…?” Annemarie wasn’t sure what she was expecting when the door opened, but she wasn’t expecting this smiling, kindly young woman. Was this Peter’s aunt? She bit her lip awkwardly, felt her foot go inwards in unease.

 

“Of course! Come on in!” May opened the door further for Annemarie to step in. As soon as she did so, May offered a hand, “I’m Peter’s Aunt May.” She smiled when Annemarie shook her hand, a small smile tugging at her lips in realization, “So you’re his new friend...”

 

“Y--yes, Mrs. Parker…” Annemarie wasn’t sure what to say, “I...just moved here from California this summer.”

 

“Oh, please, sweetheart, call me May,” May waved a dismissive hand, “California? Are you enjoying New York?”

 

Annemarie nodded, the smile growing wider, “Very much so. There’s so much to do, so much to see. I love it here.”

 

“May?” Annemarie recognized Peter’s voice as he came down the hallway, “Who’re you talking to--Annemarie?” 

 

Their eyes met, and Annemarie instantly looked down, realizing Peter’s eyes were bright with worry, “What happened to your lip?”

 

Annemarie paused, shook her head, a bit overwhelmed at his sudden inquiry. He looked so concerned, it made her nervous for some reason, “Nothing,” she said quickly, “Just--just an accident in gym today.”

 

“I can take a look, if you’d like, Annemarie,” May offered. “We have first aid.”

 

“N--no, it’s okay,” Annemarie shook her head again, “Thank you, though.”

 

Peter frowned, “I...I thought you weren’t coming…”

 

“I changed my mind...um...if you guys don’t mind…?” Annemarie bit her lip.

 

“N--no, no, of course not! I’m glad you changed your mind…” Peter mumbled, nervously scratching the back of his neck. Behind Annemarie, he spotted his aunt, smiling widely and mouthing, “She’s ADORABLE,” while giving him a thumbs-up. He gestured towards his room, “Uh, Ned and I are picking out which movie to watch now...we have snacks already…”

 

Annemarie awkwardly turned, where May immediately straightened up, wiping her hands on her apron, “Go ahead, sweetie. If you guys need anything, don’t hesitate to call!”

 

She nodded, gave a smile, “Thank you!” It was then she turned, followed Peter, and as soon as May rounded the corner, he stopped in front of his door, mumbled to her, “You sure you’re okay?”

 

Where was this sudden concern coming from? Annemarie nodded, “Y--yeah. I’m fine, Peter. Just a volleyball. I--wasn’t paying attention and it hit my face. That’s all.”

 

“It looks bad, though…”

 

“Um. I’m fine! Uh...you didn’t come to class today...are you okay?” She quickly changed the subject, absently noting a bruise above his right eyebrow. It seemed another thing they had in common was having a tendency of getting injured. She frowned as he bit his lip, his gaze flitting from one thing to another as he shrugged, “Had to run an errand, uh, for my aunt...uh, so...yeah...come on in…”

 

He pushed the door open, and Annemarie immediately recognized Ned, whose eyes lit up upon seeing her. “Anne! Hey! I thought you weren’t coming!”

 

“I, um...ended up feeling better...so I--!”

 

“--your lip’s busted up. What happened? Are you okay?” Ned frowned now, getting up.

 

“Just an accident at gym, guys, relax…” she mumbled quickly, “...uh, so what are we watching?” She asked, walking in and dropping her bag on the floor next to Peter’s small twin bed. 

 

“Star Wars,” the boys said in unison, with Ned grinning widely, “The original trilogy, too. Not those crappy prequels.” He shuddered, “Ugh, those are the worst…”

 

“Sounds like fun.” Annemarie gave a genuine smile, “But...I’ll admit I’ve never seen Star Wars before.”

 

“ _ What?!”  _ Both boys spoke again, flabbergasted.

 

“I--I watched Star Trek growing up! I never had the time to watch Star Wars in its entirety!” Annemarie squeaked.

 

“You’re missing out!” Ned exclaimed.

 

“It’s like a giant space adventure with lightsabers and Darth Vader!” Peter replied, his eyes wide.

 

“Star Trek has space adventures, too...but I’ll give it a try.” Annemarie shrugged, curling up on the floor and taking a bag of Doritos. 

 

“You will  _ not  _ regret it.” Ned gushed as Peter got the movie ready. 

 

\---

 

After they finished  _ The Empire Strikes Back,  _ it was beginning to get late and both Ned and Annemarie had to go home. As they began getting ready to go, May appeared at Peter’s doorway, “Do you guys need anything before you leave?”

 

“No, thanks,” Ned and Annemarie spoke in unison. However, Annemarie gave a smile, admitting, “I’ll admit, I think Star Wars is pretty cool, too.”

 

“Told you it was  _ amazing _ ,” Ned replied, “Obi-Wan was always so badass!”

 

“You guys gotta come tomorrow so we can finish the trilogy and watch  _ Return of the Jedi! _ ” Peter offered, giving May a pleading look. She fondly smiled before nodding in approval, “I’ll make you guys dinner instead of you ordering pizza.” She said, “Do you guys like tacos?”

 

“I’m always up for tacos, Mrs. Parker!” Ned proclaimed.

 

Annemarie gave a gentle smile, “I like tacos a lot. Thank you, Mrs. Parker--I mean, May,” she shyly corrected herself when May shot her a look. “I’m really glad I came over.”

 

Ned briefly glanced at his phone, “Oh, my dad’s here. He’s parked outside. Do you want to come with, Anne? I can ask my dad to drop you off.”

 

Annemarie gently shook her head, “That’s okay, Ned. I don’t want you guys going out of your way, I’ll just take the train.”

 

“Why don’t you walk her to the train, Peter?” May suddenly asked, “I don’t like the idea of Annemarie walking by herself.” She grinned, and Peter felt his cheeks heat up as she winked. “Uh--uh--sure, I don’t mind walking her!”

 

“It was really nice meeting you, May,” Annemarie said softly, putting on her hat as they walked to the door. 

 

“Oh, likewise, you’re always welcome here, Annemarie! Be careful! Text Peter to let him know you both made it home safely!”

 

“We will,” Once again, Ned and Annemarie spoke in unison. 

 

\---

 

As soon as Ned his goodbyes and they began their trek to the train station, Peter pounced on his opportunity to get Annemarie alone. He’d glanced at her between scenes as they watched the movies, found himself worried about her split lip. Did someone hurt her? Was it Flash? The idea made his blood boil and a nameless anger surge through him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, spoke aloud as they rounded a corner, “So, how’d you get that cut again?”

 

“Volleyball hit me. I wasn’t paying attention. I was being stupid,” Annemarie replied.

 

Now he  _ knew  _ that was complete and utter bullshit. “You pay attention to everything, Anne,” he retorted, “from things in class to--keeping an eye on Spider-Man. Did--did someone hurt you?”

 

She bit her lip, hated how butterflies nervously fluttered about in her stomach, “What do you want me to say, Peter?” She asked defensively, “I--people slip sometimes. It’s how it is. It’s the anomaly of humanity!”

 

“Look, I’m not trying to piss you off. I’m just worried.” Peter explained as they stopped in front of the entrance to the subway.

 

Annemarie frowned, crossed her arms, “Okay, fine. Since we’re friends, it’s only natural for you to worry about me. But it’s a two-way street, Pete! So tell me how you got that bruise above your eyebrow. Was it Eugene? Did they corner you and that’s why you couldn’t come to P.E.?”

 

He swore inwardly. He hoped she hadn’t seen it. “Just...fell.”

 

She raised both eyebrows, “Really?”

 

“Y--yeah, yeah…”

 

“You’re not  _ that  _ clumsy, Peter.”

 

“People slip up sometimes, it’s how it is…” he mumbled, looking away.

 

Annemarie sighed. It was no secret that Peter wasn’t very popular, and it wasn’t a secret that Flash Thompson had some odd vendetta against him. Peter sporting some odd injuries here and there worried her, and she admitted so, “I worry about you.”

 

He seemed surprised at that before retorting, “Well, I worry about you, too.”

 

The heat rose to her cheeks. “W--well, then I’ll tell you what. Next time one of us has an injury or gets hurt, we tell each other. I’m including Ned in this, too. How about that?”

 

Peter nodded despite knowing he couldn’t keep his promise--not truthfully, anyway. He’d just have to come up with better excuses. “Fine.”

 

To his surprise, she held up her pinky, “Swear on it.”

 

He paused, raised an eyebrow, “A pinky swear?”

 

“My brother and I used to do it as kids all the time, okay?! Just swear!” Annemarie insisted. He sighed, obliged to her demands. Once his pinky wrapped around hers, she smiled, “There. Now I’ve got a train to catch. Thanks for having me.”

 

“No problem. You gonna come tomorrow?”

 

She nodded, “Sure. I want to see how the trilogy pans out.”

 

“Cool. Um...just text me when you get home.”

 

“I will.” She hugged him, “Bye, Peter.”

 

It still surprised him when she did that. “Uh...later…”

 

As she gave one last wave before heading underground, Peter suddenly had an idea. If Peter Parker couldn’t find out about her lip, then maybe someone else could.

 

\---

 

As soon as Annemarie got home, she texted Peter, changed into her pajamas, and collapsed onto her bed, staring up at her ceiling with a smile on her face. She did have fun with her friends, felt a lot better about going out. Her mother was thrilled to hear about her day (despite demanding how on Earth her lip was cut), and Adam was far too emotionally invested binge-watching  _ Ally McBeal.  _

 

She felt herself drifting off into a content sleep before starting at the sound of tapping on her window. 

 

The smile that tugged at her lips was so wide she was almost tempted to let out a giddy squeal. Instead, she quickly sat up, tiptoed to her door and locked it before hurrying to her window, opening it and barely concealing her excitement, “Hey!”

 

“Hey, there, cutie. Figured I’d stop by.” Spider-Man quipped, tilting his head to the side when Annemarie crawled out, sitting on the fire escape beside him. “H--hey, it’s cold. You should get a blanket or something.” He said.

 

“Who needs a blanket when I’ve got you?” Annemarie sweetly asked, curling up close to him until their legs touched. She met the goggles, asked, “So, how are you? Any superhero shenanigans ensue today?”

 

Spider-Man chuckled, “ _ Superhero shenanigans _ ?” 

 

“Or whatever you call it.”

 

He shrugged, “Stopped some thugs earlier today.”

 

“And did you feel heroic?” 

 

“Sure did.” He reached up, his fingers grazing her lip, “Hey, what happened here?” He tried to play it cool, despite his burning curiosity and concern. She gasped, quickly moved back, “J--just something at school.”

 

“Something...like what?” He asked, “Whose ass do I need to kick?” He half-joked. 

 

Annemarie chuckled before hesitating. She couldn’t tell her friends, but maybe she could tell a masked web-slinging superhero. “It’s--some girl at school. Stephanie, I think? Yeah...she--I was playing against her team today and we won….I guess she didn’t like that, so she hit the ball in my direction and it hit me…”

 

He sighed, “She took it out on you.”

 

Annemarie nodded, “I...I feel so stupid now that I think back about it. She said for me to go back to California, and she called me a nerd...I just sat there and cried like a loser...even though...Liz Allan--she’s one of the popular girls at school, my two friends both like her a lot--she tried to help. But I pushed her away.”

 

_ Liz?! _ “Uh--why?”

 

Annemarie shrugged, “I don’t know. I guess...I thought she was in on it, somehow? Like I said, I was being stupid. I--I know it’s stupid, but I didn’t want to tell my friends what happened. I didn’t...I didn’t want to worry them.”

 

“Well, I’m glad you decided to tell me.” What surprised Annemarie was Spider-Man’s sudden tenderness as his fingers brushed her lip again, “Look...if you get hurt like this...you can tell me, okay?”

 

She could only nod.

 

“Seriously, promise me.”

 

“I--I promise.” she squeaked. It was then she realized, “Wait...you want me to tell you all about me, but yet here I am...still barely knowing anything about you.”

 

He merely regarded her, didn’t reply.

 

She narrowed her eyes, pointed at him, “Shouldn’t there be  _ some  _ equivalency here? How about if I tell you something about me, you  _ have  _ to tell me something about you, no matter how dumb you think it may be!”

 

He didn’t reply.

 

“You aren’t getting out of this one, Spidey,” she bit out, holding up her pinky, “Come on!”

 

Pause. Then, he sighed, linked his pinky with hers. 

 

She smiled, pleased with her result, “So?”

 

He thought for a moment, then admitted, “I told you something happened to give me my powers. Well...I can tell you exactly what that was, if you want.”

 

Excitement filled her as she asked, “What was it?”

 

“I--I can’t pinpoint  _ exactly _ when. But...it’s all after I...got bitten. By a spider. Ever since then, I’ve...I can do what I do.”

 

“So that explains why you call yourself  _ Spider-Man. _ ” Annemarie breathed in realization. She sat up, “So what exactly  _ can  _ you do? Aside from webs and stuff...”

 

“Nope. One truth for a truth. I’m done for the night.” He spoke in a teasing tone.

 

“T--that’s not fair! You still know more about me than I do you!”

 

“Well, I’ll just have to tell you next time, don’t I?” He rose to his feet, helping her up. Her smile was infectious, as he felt himself begin to smile underneath the mask. 

 

“Next time?”

 

“Yep.” He shot out a web, prepared to go. However, he turned, “Annemarie?”

 

Her heart leapt upon hearing her name from him, “Y--yes?”

 

“If that Stephanie bothers you again, let me know.” He sounded serious then, so serious it unnerved her. 

 

“Um...okay.”

 

He waved, “Later, cutie.”

  
And he was gone again, leaving a euphoric Annemarie behind.


	15. Bathroom Shenanigans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we finally have an update! Has anyone seen that Lip Sync Battle plus that exclusive movie clip yet? Amazing. Simply amazing. We're moving forward a tiny bit here, and I'll definitely try not to take so long to post the next chapter! Much love!

The month of September dissolved to October, and Annemarie could feel it in the air, the brisk autumn breeze growing chillier, signifying the rising tide of winter's call. She went from cardigans to light jackets, not quite used to the chill yet. Adam, however, hated the cold, already wearing a hat and gloves despite Wendy telling him to wait until at least late November. He had grown busier with schoolwork: papers, midterms, projects. Weekends were often spent with friends, including Joanna, who seemed to visit far more often than Annemarie liked. She was beginning to suspect something a bit more romantic was afoot. 

 

However, as Adam became busier, so did she: Her weekdays were spent waking up early for school, going to class and finishing homework assignments. Her after-school hobbies ranged from drafting articles for the paper to spending time with Peter and Ned (much to her family’s delight; she used to spend her days locked in her bedroom). Her Saturdays were spent attending Connors’ class, applying herself in every discussion, coding her notes so Adam could understand, and having intellectual debates with Connors afterwards.

 

Her nights ranged from homework, napping, watching documentaries on her laptop, or meeting a masked superhero on her fire escape. Those were her favorite nights, the nights where he would appear, tell her one fact about himself. Her crush on him was becoming bigger, so big she swore it would burst out of her every possible second. She wished she could tell someone about her encounters with Spider-Man, but she kept quiet, both for her sake and for his. 

 

“Shouldn't you invest in a coat or something?” Annemarie asked the webslinger one particular night, where the chill was a little too brisk and she had a knitted blue quilt wrapped around herself while sitting beside him. “I mean, you can't possibly be warm.”

 

He shrugged, “I'm good. Besides, a coat’s way too heavy. If I'm gonna fight crime, I've got to travel light.”

 

“Easy for you to say, Spidey,” Annemarie mumbled as she shuddered, “I'm getting cold...and I'm in flannel pajamas  _ and  _ a quilt!”

 

“You should head inside. You could get sick.” He turned to face her. Despite never seeing his face, Annemarie always felt nervous when he looked at her. It was as if he was trying to gauge her, study every bit of her, every nuance and every nervous tick she had. She shook her head, “And leave you all by yourself? I'll pass!”

 

He let out a chuckle before replying, “Seriously, you should go inside.”

 

She moved, curled up closer to him, “But I like where I am.”

 

“You won't like it when you're sniffling in the morning.”

 

She knew he was right, and normally her own logic would be chastising her impulsive actions now. But it was becoming a rush just to be near him, and she didn't want to let that go just yet. She didn't know his face or his name, but she felt an innate sense of safety with him. As if she could be completely and unapologetically herself without him judging her. If anything horrible happened, he would be there. He'd been gaining even more notoriety, saving anyone in need. Though the  _ Bugle  _ still claimed he was dangerous, Annemarie took to her own articles any time a new headline emerged. 

 

“Hey, Spidey?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Does it bother you? I mean, when the news says you're bad.”

 

He didn't reply at first, and for a moment Annemarie could only feel his warmth, hear his deep breath and her own heartbeat thumping wildly in her ears. Finally, he admitted, 

 

“I have my days. Sometimes it bugs me. Other times I don't really care. I just...I just want to do the right thing…”

 

She gathered enough nerve to look at him as she said, “What about today?”

 

He tilted his head to one side, as if silently questioning her, “It's one of those days where I don't really care.”

 

His gaze quickly left hers as he tensed, hearing something that Annemarie didn't quite hear. “What is it?”

 

“I've gotta go.” He mumbled, rising to his feet and bringing her with him. 

 

She already knew. “Be careful, Spidey.”

 

“Me? I'm always careful. It's my middle name, after all!” he joked, earning a giggle from her. As usual, he readied a web, and before he left her, he said his usual farewell, 

“Later, cutie.”

 

It was probably what he said to everyone else, but it still made her heart leap when she heard it.

 

\---

 

Of all the things Annemarie was expecting on a particularly chilly Wednesday morning, she was  _ not  _ expecting Liz Allan to approach her locker in between classes, looking glamorous as usual. She had waved, called her, “Hey, Annemarie!” 

 

Annemarie looked around, wished Ned hadn't left her to hand in an early assignment. She wondered where Peter was, as she hadn't seen him during the first bell (he was never late, he was just as diligent in school as she was, so she was a tad worried). She felt vulnerable, especially as a pack of Liz’s friends shot dirty looks across the hall. Oblivious as usual (or faking it, Annemarie wasn't sure), Liz gave a bright smile, “Do you have a second?”

 

Annemarie ignored the sneer from one girl as she gave a tight-lipped smile, “Sure. What's up?”

 

“Well, I’ve been thinking, you know, since we always end up playing volleyball in P.E.…” Liz began.

 

Annemarie resisted the urge to groan. Volleyball had been another common hobby in school, and not necessarily by choice--Coach Kane wasn’t having any more of her sitting out during classes, meaning she was always stuck playing against Stephanie’s team every single time. Liz constantly picked Annemarie, even going as far as picking her first (much to her friend Betty’s chagrin). And now, for the past two weeks, Liz had been attempting to encourage Annemarie to try out for the volleyball team. They’d been simple hints here and there, but apparently Liz was done being subtle.

 

“You’re really good at it. I totally think you should try out!” Liz gave that perfect smile, and Annemarie absently noted the girls behind her giving shocked or disgusted expressions. She tried to give her best sympathetic smile as she shrugged, “Um, I’d love to, but I’m already a part of the school newspaper. I don’t want my schedules to clash.” 

 

That was a nice, suitable excuse without being rude.. Plus, it would deter Liz.  _ Popular girls don’t mesh with people like me.  _

 

She appeared unfazed. “No worries! The paper meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, right? Volleyball practice would be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after school!”

 

Annemarie bit her lip to suppress an actual groan. What was Liz’s strange fascination with her all about? Why couldn’t she just leave her alone? She sighed, “Thanks, Liz, but...I’m not super athletic. Sports...just isn’t my thing.”

 

Liz frowned, and Annemarie couldn’t believe that even then she still looked glamorous, “Oh...well, okay! I just figured you’re really good and we could use a great player like you. I’m team captain instead of Stephanie, so if you wanted to try out, I could probably get you in sooner.” She offered.

 

Annemarie gave a small smile, “Um...thanks, but I’ll have to pass.”

 

“Oh...okay, no problem.” Liz gave a nod before turning to leave. However, she stopped, faced Annemarie again, her eyes hopeful, 

 

“Look, if you happen to change your mind...tryouts are on Friday in the gym after school.”

 

She left her then, off with her gaggle of giggly girlfriends, and Annemarie could only blink in surprise, still unsure about her.  _ This has to be an elaborate joke.  _

 

She just barely noticed Ned bounding up to her, eyes wide as he gasped, “Was that  _ Liz _ you were talking to?!”

 

“Yeah. She was just asking me something.” Annemarie mumbled casually, closing her locker and leaning against it, fishing out her phone to shoot Peter a text:  _ everything ok?  _

 

“What did she ask you?” Ned demanded, far too eager first thing in the morning. “Was it about Pete? Was it about  _ me _ ? Come on, Anne, spill!”

 

She sighed, “Nothing big, she just--wanted me to try out for the volleyball team.”

 

Ned deflated, looked almost disappointed, “Oh…well, then why don’t you?” 

 

“You know I hate sports, Ned,” Annemarie shrugged, “Besides...the popular girls play volleyball.”

 

“So? If Liz asked you, then she must think you’re good.”

 

“Her opinion about me doesn’t matter,” Annemarie bit out, a tad defensively, “I told her no because sports isn’t my thing. That’s it.”

 

It was Ned’s turn to sigh, “Look, Anne, be honest: are you saying no because you really aren’t into it? Or because you don’t want the  _ popular _ girls to ridicule you? If you really don’t care about what they think, or what Liz thinks, then you’d want to try out, right?”

 

Damn Ned and his logical input on things. Annemarie reached up to remove her hat and straighten her hair out, “I…”

 

“Just think about it. Besides, if you do decide to join the team, you can totally get into Liz’s mind and let us know what she  _ really  _ thinks of us.” Ned gave a dark grin, raised his eyebrows suggestively.

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes and giggled, playfully smacking Ned’s shoulder, “You guys are  _ crazy! _ ”

 

“Liz is the epitome of a perfect ten, Anne,” Ned said dreamily, “And besides, she seems to like  _ you _ . Maybe you can be our secret spy!”

 

“I’m  _ not  _ going to try out for the team, Ned. Besides, she probably doesn’t really like me anyway!”

 

“You’re better off,” a new voice said, closing her locker door. Annemarie recognized her as one of her fellow students in English, Michelle. She held a giant copy of  _ Ulysses  _ in her hands. She didn’t talk much, but she sat next to Annemarie, often reading. 

 

“Playing it safe is your best bet,” she said, a dry edge to her voice, “Those loser friends of hers will rip you to shreds.”

 

Without another word, she walked off, leaving the two baffled.

 

“She’s always so... _ weird. _ ” Ned mumbled, “She never really talks much.”

 

Annemarie blinked, “At least she helped me make my decision.  _ Definitely  _ not joining the team.”

 

The bell rang then, and Ned turned, “See you later?”

 

She nodded, “Later!”

 

As she turned to head to class, she quickly checked her phone, frowning when she saw no new messages from Peter.

 

\---

 

It was during Women’s History class that she was reading her textbook, already three paragraphs ahead of the teacher reading aloud that Annemarie started at the feeling of her phone vibrating in her pocket. She quickly sat up, eyes wide as she knew there was only one person who could possibly be texting her at this time. She waited as the teacher continued reading about the suffragists of the 1920s, turning towards the blackboard to write some extra notes. It was in that moment Annemarie fished out her phone, hiding her hands under her desk as she quickly read the text.

 

_ hey, i need you for a quick min. can you get out of fisher’s class? _

 

Annemarie bit her lip. Miss Fisher wasn’t the greatest when it came to giving out a hall pass. Rumor was if you needed to use the bathroom, do it before or after her class. She almost never let students go. And Annemarie wasn’t very keen on missing class whatsoever, and the last thing she wanted was to get in trouble. But if Peter needed her, she’d certainly try. Annemarie typed,  _ i’ll try my best, ok?,  _ before locking her phone and shoving it into her pocket just as Miss Fisher turned around, finishing the reading. She raised her hand, preparing for the worst.  _ Sorry, Miss Fisher... _

 

“All right, class, any questions regarding...yes, Annemarie?” Miss Fisher raised her eyebrows expectantly behind her pearl-studded glasses.

 

“Um...I really hate to ask, but...may I use the restroom, please?” Annemarie timidly asked. She ignored one student’s groan, and next to her, Michelle rolled her eyes, grumbling, “Are you stupid or something?”

 

Miss Fisher frowned, “No, you may not.” She said flatly. She opened her mouth to continue the lesson, but Annemarie decided to try again,

 

“Please, Miss Fisher? I’m...really not feeling good. I...had a smoothie from the vending machines before class, and I honestly think the one I drank was sour, because my stomach is churning.”

 

“You can wait until after class.” Miss Fisher snapped, clearly perturbed at Annemarie interrupting the lesson. 

 

“I--I really can’t, Miss Fisher!” Annemarie bit her lip, decided now was the time to turn on the dramatics, “I...I really feel like I’m going to puke. Like... _ all over _ the classroom.”

 

Five students quickly shot out of their seats and began moving away from her. Michelle rolled her eyes, and Miss Fisher’s frown deepened as Annemarie pretended to heave, putting her mouth over her puffed out cheeks.

 

“All right, you can go,” Miss Fisher waved dismissively, quickly writing out a hall pass and holding it out for her to take, “Just bring your stuff in case you need to go to the nurse.”

 

Annemarie grabbed her things, snatched the hall pass before flying out her seat, pretending to heave once more to make it even more convincing. Students gagged and groaned just as she left the class, turning the corner and leaning against the wall, sighing in relief in the empty hallway. She waited a few moments before taking out her phone, seeing a reply from Peter.

 

  1. _if you can get out, meet me in the boys’ bathroom, the one by the art rooms._



 

Annemarie panicked at that notion, typed back,  _ why? i didn’t bring toilet paper, pete! _

 

_ it’s not a paper issue, promise. just … meet me? i tried texting ned but he’s in gym class right now and i really need some help. _

 

She’d never been in a boys’ bathroom before, but perhaps there was no time like the present. Annemarie sighed, wrote,  _ ok. see you in a bit.  _

 

She hurried down the hall, turned another corner and went down a flight of stairs before spotting the art rooms, with the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms next to them on the far side of the hall. Annemarie looked around before running into the boys’ bathroom, leaning against the painted blue tile wall before quietly calling out, “Peter?”

 

“Annemarie?” His voice sounded from inside one of the stalls. She briefly spotted his feet before answering, “Yeah, it’s me. So...you said you needed help? Is everything okay? I texted you this morning…”

 

A sigh. Then, he spoke quietly, “Look...no matter what happens, just...just promise not to freak out, okay?”

 

She didn’t like the sound of that. “....Why?” She drew out her inquiry, slowly began walking towards the stall he was in. 

 

“Just promise?”

 

She had a horrible feeling. Crossing her arms, she mentally prepared herself, “Um...sure. I promise…”

 

Despite all the mental preparation, Annemarie’s mouth dropped open in a horrified cry and her hands flew to cover her mouth as her heart plummeted to her feet once Peter unlatched and opened the stall door. He right eye was swollen and bruised black and blue, and there was a bleeding cut across his cheek, all coupled with a split lip. The tears blurred her vision before she could really think about it, and she buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

 

“No, nonononono, Annemarieeeee,” Peter groaned. She felt his hands on her arms, gently rubbing them in reassurance, “Hey, come on,” he spoke lightly, “you promised not to freak out, remember?”

 

“Who  _ did  _ this to you, Peter?” Annemarie whispered, wiping her eyes as she studied his injuries. When Peter didn’t respond right away, she assumed the worst, “Was it Eugene?”

 

“N--no, no, just...I was...trying to help an old lady this morning. She was getting mugged, and I tried to help but…” He chuckled, pointed to his face, “...as you can see, that didn’t go very well at all.”

 

Well, it wasn’t a total lie. He was indeed trying to help someone, just not as himself. Thankfully, Annemarie believed him, wiping her eyes as she groaned, “Save the crimefighting for Spider-Man,  _ okay _ ? You can’t keep getting hurt like this!”

 

“C’mon, I couldn’t let an old lady get  _ robbed _ ...look, don’t worry about me, okay? I’ll be as good as new in no time. But I could use a little help,” Peter grinned sheepishly. “If I come home like this, Aunt May will  _ freak,  _ and I can’t have that.”

 

“W--wait, what do you want  _ me  _ to do…?” Annemarie furrowed her brow, confused.

 

“I need you to help me look presentable. Granted, I need to clean up first…”

 

“Peter! You need to go to the  _ nurse  _ for that! I don’t have a first aid kit or anything!” Annemarie wailed.

 

“We can use the sink and the paper towels!”

 

“Those slabs of cardboard are so coarse they’ll make you  _ worse _ ! Are you  _ insane _ ?”

 

“Nah, they’re not too bad! C’mere, see...” Peter gently pulled her to the sinks, let the cold water run as he grabbed a paper towel, wet it and tried pressing it against the cut on his cheek. He yelped in pain, quickly dropped the wad of paper towel on the floor. He blatantly ignored Annemarie’s knowing frown.

 

“Okay, I think I have a pack of Kleenex in my bag…” Annemarie opened her bag, thankfully found her Kleenex quickly. She tugged out four tissues, balled them up and wet them. She stood in front of Peter, “Stay still, okay?”

 

Her tissues were far more gentler than the paper towels as she dabbed away at his cuts. He winced a few times, but Annemarie finished, tossing her tissues in the trash. “It’s not much, but...you look a little better. You still need ice for that eye, though.”

 

“Well, that’s the next part. Do you have makeup?” Peter asked.

 

There was a brief moment of silence as Annemarie took in exactly what he was asking her. “You want me to cover you up?” 

 

“Yeah! I mean, it’s probably better I ask you, since you’re a girl and all, and you wear makeup…”

 

“ _ Eyeliner, _ ” Annemarie corrected, “Peter, I wear  _ eyeliner _ . ChapStick if I’m feeling  _ super  _ fancy, and that isn’t saying much. I don’t wear foundation or blush or anything else! Heck, I don’t even bring my makeup  _ with  _ me! I just bring my ChapStick!”

 

“So...you don’t have anything?”

 

“No!”

 

“Geez…” Peter groaned.

 

“Ice is probably the better option. I’m sure foundation or blush will only make it worse! Besides--!”

 

Both of their eyes widened at the sound of the bell ringing, signifying the end of fourth period. With the end of every class period, both of them knew what was about to happen.

 

“ _ Shit! _ ” They whispered in unison.

 

“ _ I can’t BE in here!”  _ Annemarie spoke feverishly, already hearing the students filing out of classes. She heard a pack of boys, most of them hurrying towards the bathroom.

 

Peter took action, grabbing her arm and tugging them into the nearest stall, latching it shut just as they heard a group of boys enter, loudly talking amongst themselves.

 

“They’ll see my feet!” she mouthed, panicking. Peter looked around briefly before pointing, “Stand on the toilet seat. I’ll make sure you don’t fall or get wet!” he whispered.

 

“This is  _ gross _ !” she whispered back, cringing as she climbed up, stood awkwardly on the seat, which was already wobbly and breaking. It shifted abruptly in one direction, and she almost slipped and stumbled, only for Peter to immediately grab her hands, steadying her. He looked up at her, mouthed, “Trust me. Stay quiet.”

 

She nodded, bit her lip as she clutched onto Peter’s hands for dear life, her eyes wide and meeting his in a panic. They heard the conversations, the boys loudly talking, and they both recognized Flash Thompson’s voice, smug and arrogant as he asked his friends,

 

“Man, I  _ hate  _ Mr. Tsu’s class! He’s so creepy, he looks like a damn alien, like he’s gonna smuggle you off to freaking Neptune or some shit!”

 

Annemarie literally wanted to puke at the sounds of the boys urinating. She made a disgusted face for Peter to see, and he snorted, chuckled quietly at her. 

 

It was then as she watched him laughing that she realized just how absurd the situation was: standing on top of a wobbly toilet seat with Peter Parker holding her up, just so they wouldn’t get busted by the boys using the bathroom. Annemarie let out a silent giggle, taking a hand and covering her mouth so no one else would hear her laughing. The two of them laughed like maniacs as they heard everything going on around them. Whenever one of them stopped, the other would laugh harder, causing the cycle to start again. 

 

By the time the late bell rang and the boys all scurried out of the bathroom, leaving just the two of them behind, Annemarie was beet red from the fits of laughter and tears were in her eyes for a completely different reason than before.

 

“That was awkward as hell…” Peter mumbled at last, chuckling, just as red as she was. 

 

“You  _ think _ ? I’m never gonna look at Eugene the same way without remembering I heard him  _ pee _ !” Annemarie giggled.

 

“We should go…”

 

“I agree,” She grabbed both his hands, let him help her down. They regarded each other a brief moment before Peter muttered, “Thanks. For...for helping me.”

 

She nodded, “Sure. Just be careful next time, please?”

 

“I will.” 

 

“We’re late, you know.”

 

“It’s okay. We’ll tell everyone we had to pee.” He deadpanned.

 

She snorted, started giggling again from there. He gave her a grin, “Let’s get out of here.”

  
“Gladly,” she replied.


	16. Leap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update. Hope you guys like this one!

It never took Annemarie long to finish her homework. Even with a heavy homework day, she was often done in about an hour and a half, maybe an hour. She had only just finished a particularly heavy load of work, had changed into her pajamas to get ready for bed. Annemarie eyed the Tinkerbell alarm clock on her bedside table, where the red digital numbers read 9:57 in the evening. She bit her lip. Normal nights, she would knock out at ten, maybe ten fifteen. But she was purposely staying awake for one particular reason. It had become a habit, waiting by her window, hoping for those telltale taps. She tiptoed to her door, locked it. Then, she grabbed her quilt and wrapped it around herself as she sat by her window, curtains closed, waiting in anticipation.

 

Granted, he didn’t visit  _ every _ night. Annemarie often waited until ten-thirty before safely making the call that he wasn’t stopping by. If that happened, she would curl up in her bed and go to sleep, understanding he probably had heroic duties to handle, but nevertheless always going to bed a bit crestfallen.

 

Annemarie waited patiently, occasionally eyeing the clock. 10:00. 10:06. 10:10. 10:18.

 

By the time the clock hit 10:29, she deflated, urging herself not to feel so disappointed as she shuffled towards her bed. He was a superhero. He had people to help. Maybe he was out there helping out some guy getting mugged or something.

 

She had just opened her blankets and fluffed her pillow when she heard the three taps. Annemarie stopped, her eyes widening and her excitement building as she waited.

 

Three more taps. She covered her mouth to hide her excited little squeal before hurrying to her window, opening her curtains and finally unlatching and opening her window. The cool breeze blew in just as Spider-Man lifted a hand, waved.

 

“Hey,” he said casually.

 

Annemarie frowned, narrowed her eyes, “‘Hey?’ You’re late, Spidey.” She teased.

 

“I know, I had a bit of a situation. Sorry about that.” He spoke quietly, almost ashamed.

 

She relented, “No, no!” She rested both hands on her hips as she said, “You never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,  _ ever  _ have to apologize for what you do. Got that?”

 

He chuckled, “Copy that.”

 

She moved to climb out to meet him, but he raised an arm, stopping her, “No way! It’s chilly out here! I don’t want you getting sick or anything!”

 

“But I have so much to tell you!” Annemarie whispered.

 

“I’m not letting you out here when it’s this chilly. Sorry, cutie. My heroic instinct is telling me to make sure you stay warm!” He crossed his arms, looked unbelievably adorable doing so.  _ I haven’t even seen his face,  _ Annemarie tried to reason as she watched him. “Heroic instinct?” She raised an eyebrow.

 

“Yeah, heroic instinct. I’ve got one of those, you know.”

 

“I can see, Bug Boy.”

 

“Don’t call me Bug Boy! I’m  _ Spider-Man. _ ”

 

Annemarie giggled before coming up with an idea. “Well...then if you won’t  _ let  _ me come outside to you…” 

 

She seized his arm, and he let out a yelp as she yanked him through the window into her bedroom. He protested the entire time, having no choice but to let her drag him as she proclaimed, “ _ My  _ heroic instinct tells me you’re going to freeze out there, so stay warm in here with me!” Once he was completely inside, she closed her window, held out her arms, “Welcome to my space!”

 

He quickly rose to his feet, dusted himself off as he looked around, his shoulders rising to his ears. “Uh...uh...I don’t know if I should be in here…”

 

“It’s okay,” Annemarie gave him a smile, “it’s just my room. No big deal. The door’s locked, so no one will walk in. We just need to keep quiet.”

 

“ _ Annemarie _ ,” her heart always skipped a beat when he would whisper her name, “I don’t think this is appropriate! I mean, I don’t want you getting caught or anything! And--and--!”

 

_ Was he nervous?  _ Annemarie rested a hand on his shoulder, silencing him, “Hey,” she said quietly. When those goggles met her eyes, she admitted, “I trust you. And besides, it’s probably better than being out there, especially when it’s getting colder.”

 

He was rendered silent at her words, nodding in response. He still looked incredibly tense, not really knowing what to do with himself. Annemarie took charge, offered her desk chair, “Sit.”

 

He awkwardly sat while Annemarie took to sitting at the foot of her bed, watching him. He looked around, at her purple-painted walls, white closet door, the desk neatly organized and the posters of outer space, Star Trek, and Tinkerbell. He eyed her bed, with lilac sheets and the pink stuffed bunny with one eye missing. She followed his gaze on that one, shyly admitted, “That’s Cuppy. I’ve had Cuppy since I was really little.”

 

“What’s with the Tinkerbell stuff?” He asked.

 

“Peter Pan was my favorite movie growing up. I even read the books. I love them.” Annemarie replied, “Although...Tinkerbell’s only my second favorite character. I actually really like Wendy Darling.”

 

“Wendy? Why?”

 

“Because...I dunno, I guess because she was nice and responsible and heroic and...I kind of wanted to be like that when I was younger. I know, it’s  _ soooooo _ lame,” Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment as she changed the subject, “What about you? What situation were you having that made you late?”

 

“Illegal weapons shipment by the East River. Those guys really like their guns…” He mumbled. Annemarie frowned, “Guns? Were you hurt?”

 

“Nah, I got ‘em before they could really land some serious blows on me.” 

 

“Why were they shipping  _ weapons  _ though? Isn’t that dangerous?”

 

“No idea. Black market stuff, maybe? Either way, I took care of it.” He said proudly. He rested his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, the goggles focusing on her, “So Wendy Darling, huh?”

 

She blushed, looked away, “Shut up. I know it’s lame.”

 

“I don’t think it’s lame. I think it’s cute. It’s...kind of weird, because whoever’s into Peter Pan usually just likes Tinkerbell. You just happen to like Wendy. It’s another interesting thing about you.”

 

She narrowed her eyes, looked at him once more, “And what about something interesting about  _ you _ ? A promise is a promise, Spidey!”

 

He sighed, thought about it for a minute as she watched him with fascinated eyes. He was so mysterious, so heroic, so adorable...Annemarie wished he could just come out with it and tell her who he really was. Finally, he spoke,

 

“Um...I kinda liked that movie  _ Inside Out. _ It actually made me cry a bit.”

 

She giggled, “So you’re just a big softie, huh?”

 

“Nah, I can take a hit at least. I’m...a lot more durable than the average guy.”

 

He always did this, he always said a seemingly random fact and found a way to explain his powers to her. He’d explained his wall-crawling (which she admitted creeped her out juuuust a bit) by bringing up the AT-ATs from  _ Star Wars _ . She bit her lip, “So that bite made you  _ durable _ ?”

 

“I mean, I’ve been thrown against giant dumpsters and yeah, it hurts like hell, but I can usually get up after that,” He ignored Annemarie’s visible wince, “I heal a little faster than the average guy, too. I think that has to do with the bite, too.”

 

“So you’re invincible?”

 

“Not really. I heal fast, just not  _ that  _ fast. I still get hurt. I mean, people want to kill me when they see me, so...getting hurt kind of comes with the job.”

 

“So you still need to be careful.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Annemarie frowned, already worrying. “So...theoretically...if those guys shot you with their guns…”

 

“I’d be hurt. I’m not bulletproof.”

 

“Oh.” She mumbled quietly, looking down at her hands. “So...have you ever been hurt really badly?”

 

“A lot of bruised ribs. I’ve been cut with a knife before. That took a little while to heal.” 

 

It was how casual he sounded saying it that made her worry even more. He noticed her silence, spoke again, “Hey, don’t worry. I usually kick ass! I don’t get hurt  _ too  _ badly.”

 

“...What if you did?” she whispered.

 

He shrugged, “I’ll take care of it. No big deal.”

 

“Well...just...be careful, okay?” She pleaded, “Do that for me?”

 

“I didn’t know you cared,” She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was smiling. She snorted, “Shut up.”

 

“So what’s it like in the average day of a cutie like you?” He changed the subject again.

 

“My day sounds  _ so _ boring compared to yours,” She rolled her eyes but nevertheless obliged, “School was...school, I guess. There’s this popular girl named Liz in my gym class, and we usually play volleyball together,” she completely missed his flinching at the sound of Liz’s name, “She asked me to join the volleyball team. I’m not doing it.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because I hate sports!”

 

“But yet you’re always playing volleyball.”

 

“Coach Kane  _ makes  _ me play. If I had any choice, I’d never even  _ do _ any of the stupid things they make us do in gym! I mean...it’s either volleyball or basketball, and I  _ hate  _ basketball. I guess volleyball is the only sport I can tolerate. It involves keeping the ball as far away from you as possible. Just hit it and  _ wham _ !” She mimicked a serve.

 

He chuckled at that. “Well, if this  _ Liz  _ asked you, she must think you’re good.”

 

“I sincerely doubt that,” Annemarie replied, “She’s popular, see? And I’m...not. What if she’s playing some stupid prank or something? We’ve been playing together in class for, like, two weeks now!”

 

“I think she would’ve pranked you by now if that was the case, Annemarie. Besides, I doubt she’s really like that. I think you should go for it.”

 

She gave him a strange look, “Really? Why?”

 

“It’s the one sport you seem to actually like. And...if she asked you, she must think you’ve got some potential. Sometimes...sometimes you just gotta go for it. Y’know?”

 

She thought about it, still unsure. “What if I’m really bad at it?” She whispered. “What if I make a complete idiot out of myself?”

 

“It sucks, but hey, I’m dressed in  _ this _ every time you see me,” he pointed to his getup, and she giggled, “Don’t you think I feel pretty idiotic right now as it is? And yet I still take the risk to see you.”

 

Annemarie sighed, realized he was right. “...Okay. I’ll at least try out for the team.”

 

“Great! And even if you don’t make it, you can at least say you tried instead of looking back and wondering  _ what if I did that _ ?” 

 

She smiled, “Thanks, Spidey. You’ve convinced me.”

 

He rose to his feet, stretched, “Anyway...I’ve got to go. It’s getting late,” He pointed to the clock, where it was almost 11:15. Annemarie started at the time, realized she needed to go to sleep now if she wanted to be at full energy in the morning. Nevertheless, she felt herself deflate at the prospect of him leaving. “Y--yeah…”

 

He opened her window, climbed out onto the fire escape, looked back at her. She gave a smile, waved, “Be safe, Spidey.”

 

He waved, “Later, cutie.”

 

\---

 

She knew she shouldn’t have started her morning with a fresh copy of the  _ Daily Bugle.  _ On the front page was yet  _ another  _ article claiming that Spider-Man  _ helped  _ an illegal weapons shipment in the East River. Annemarie scoffed as she read it, having stole it from Adam earlier. She leaned against her locker, rolling her eyes at every ridiculous sentence she read. 

 

Beside her, Peter closed his locker, eyed her curiously, “The  _ Bugle  _ again?”

 

“I can’t believe I have hopes that their stupid  _ opinions  _ will ever change,” Annemarie grumbled,, “Listen to this complete and utter nonsense!” She continued in a mocking voice, “‘ _ Spider-Man was spotted just yesterday at around nine-thirty in the evening assisting the alleged criminals with guns, ammunition, and  _ bla, bla,  _ blaaaaaa. _ ” She crumpled the paper, her lips curled into an irritated frown, “I can’t  _ believe  _ they think Spider-Man is still a menace after all of this time.  _ God,  _ they’re so  _ stupid _ .”

 

Peter couldn’t resist a small smile as he shrugged, “Just stop reading them if you feel that strongly about it.”

 

“Peter, I  _ have  _ to read these articles, as much as it pains me to read their stupid, crappy  _ nonsense,  _ I’ve got to keep up so when I write  _ my  _ articles, I present the cold, hard  _ facts _ and  _ truth _ .” Annemarie pushed up the brim of her bowler hat so she could meet his eyes, “And you present the awesome photos! Maybe we can get another Spidey pic again!”

 

Peter fought the urge to groan, “Don’t tell me you’re planning on writing another article…”

 

“You’re darn right I am, Peter! The  _ Bugle  _ isn’t letting up, and I’ve got to fight fire with fire!” Annemarie proclaimed, determined, “And I might have just the thing to make public opinion change!”

 

_ Please don’t ask what, Parker.  _ “What?” He cursed his inner curiosity.

 

Annemarie almost blurted it out to him:  _ I can get a testimonial from the Spider-Man himself!  _ Instead, she felt the nerves, the urge to keep their nightly encounters a secret. She lied, “I...I can probably ask some people he’s saved! It’s been quite a handful, I’m sure I--I can find someone!”

 

He inwardly sighed in relief. “Yeah, we could probably ask around…”

 

The bell rang, and Annemarie gave him a smile, “See you in Chem?”

 

He grinned back, “Y--yeah.”

 

He started when she hugged him and hurried off.

 

_ I’m still never gonna get used to that… _

 

\---

 

The gym was packed, filled with girls from different grades sitting at the bleachers. Each one tried out, playing in mini-games of six girls each, three against three. Liz knew she had her work cut out for her when she posted all of those volleyball tryout fliers throughout the school, but she certainly hadn’t expected  _ this  _ many girls trying out. Most of her friends tried out, but Liz already knew she was only probably going to let Betty in. Betty was the only one with any decent hand-eye coordination. But then again, the final decisions were ultimately up to Coach Kane, who sat beside her at the folding table, writing notes here and there about each of the girls.

 

“Hailey looks like she’s a good option,” Kane muttered, “She’s got great form for a freshman.”

 

“Yeah. I like her form…” Liz agreed, but she didn’t really care. Annemarie Abbey was her number one pick, and not because she thought her outfits were adorable. She had a lot of talent for a sophomore, and Liz had to admit, she saw a lot of herself in Annemarie. She seemed put-together, organized, and collected. Not fake or constantly searching for any validation. She needed more of that on the team, perhaps even in her event coordination group. With the amount of events coming up this school year, the last thing Liz wanted was a group of girls concerned about their appearances instead of the tasks at hand. 

 

Plus Annemarie’s hat was  _ super _ cute.

 

“Okay, next six!” Kane proclaimed, gesturing for the current group of girls to have a seat at the bleachers. Liz watched as six more girls prepared themselves, ready for another mini-game. She recognized two of the girls from one of her classes. Three of them were faces she hadn’t seen before, perhaps freshmen. The final girl, her light brown hair tied back in a high ponytail, was what made Liz sit up. She smiled, waved, “Hi, Annemarie!”

 

Annemarie briefly met Liz’s eyes, clad in her gym clothes. She gave a thin-lipped smile and a quick wave.

 

“I’m so happy you showed up!” Liz exclaimed, “Good luck!”

 

Liz was paying far more attention now, and Coach Kane noticed as she slyly remarked, “Your golden child’s arrived, Allan.”

 

Liz purposely ignored the remark, watching as they began their game.

 

\---

 

From outside the gym, Ned casually watched, watching through the door. “She’s kicking  _ ass  _ out there, Pete!” he whispered to the boy standing beside him, “Anne is  _ so  _ going to make the team! Plus Liz hasn’t looked down at her papers  _ once _ !”

 

“Quit being creepy, man!” Peter exclaimed, “If they see us, we’re dead!”

 

“We’re just supporting our friend... _ and  _ ogling the absolute  _ goddess  _ that is Liz,” Ned said dreamily. He jumped, suddenly said, “ _ Dude,  _ she hit the ball across the court!”

 

Peter peeked behind Ned, watching as Annemarie spiked the ball over the net, even leaping to the left to stop a potential point from the opposing team. He grinned a bit, proud that his advice helped her come out of her shell a little. She was getting cooler and cooler to him each day they spent together. 

 

He started as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Peter quickly checked, inwardly groaning at his news app announcing a bank robbery. Three potential robbers, twenty-six people stuck in a hostage situation. 

 

“Hey, uh, listen, I gotta go,” he mumbled to Ned, “it’s...uh, Aunt May telling me to hurry home.”

 

Ned didn’t appear to be listening, still watching the events happening in the gym, “Sure, sure, man. I’ll let Anne know you had to go…”

 

\---

 

“Thanks for trying out, everyone!” Liz proclaimed as the last mini-game drew to a close, “Coach Kane will be posting the list of who made the team on Monday on the bulletin board by the gym, so keep your eyes peeled! First practice is that Monday afternoon!”

 

As the girls all began shuffling out, Liz carefully approached Annemarie, who was quietly tugging on sweatpants and another t-shirt. “You were  _ amazing _ ,” she gushed, “I’m  _ so _ happy you changed your mind!”

 

Annemarie looked up, almost surprised Liz was even talking to her, “Um...thanks, I guess…”

 

“You could use a little practice in footwork, but we can completely fix that. I’ll see you at school on Monday?”

 

Annemarie nodded, “Um...sure…”

 

Liz waved, “Later, Annemarie!”

 

As she walked across the gym to where Coach Kane was waiting for her, Annemarie quickly fished out her phone, finding a notification from her local news app. Bank robbery. Three potential robbers. Twenty-six hostages. She grinned, “He’s totally gonna be there,” she mumbled to herself, determined to get the scoop this time.

 

She got up, hoisted her bag over her shoulder as she left the gym, still reading the news as Ned appeared beside her, gushing, “What did Liz say to you?! Are you on the team?! Come on, Anne, details!”

 

Annemarie suddenly stopped dead in her tracks as she studied the address of the bank in question. Her heart plummeted to her feet as she read it:  _ 55 West 33rd Street, at the Midtown Municipal Bank… _

 

“Peter had to head home,” Ned’s voice sounded miles away, “he said Aunt May needed him for something…”

 

“I...I have to go.” Annemarie suddenly said, looking up at Ned, trying very hard not to cry, “My...I need to go home, my--brother needs me…”

 

She hurried off, barely missing Ned’s, “Uh--sure! Text me later!”

 

She burst through the school’s doors in a blind panic, beginning to cry as she ran through the address of the robbery in her head over and over again.

 

_ 55 West 33rd Street, Midtown Municipal Bank… _

 

_ That’s where Mom works. _

 

“Mom…” she was already running, not even concerned with the trains. All that mattered was getting to her. 

  
_ Mom! _


	17. Away

While the brigade of police were stationed in front of the bank, attempting to negotiate with the robbers in question, Peter was occupied with finding a way to stop the robbers, save the hostages, and  _ not  _ get apprehended by said brigade of police. It was one hell of a checklist, and it wasn’t something he was prepared for. He remained perched on the rooftop of a taller building, appraising the situation down below.  _ Got to think this through,  _ he thought, beginning to carefully construct a plan as he found a blind spot on the right side of the bank, where there were few police officers and a tiny alleyway to retreat through if things got hairy. He absently hoped the robbers had not found this particular spot. If they escaped, it wouldn’t be pretty. He was already seeing the press vehicles, all of them hanging around and reporting a play-by-play of the robbery. He sighed. So much for a quiet in and out.

 

He shot out a web, swung overhead high enough so no one would notice. He swooped into the alleyway, grinned underneath his mask at the sight of a back door.  _ Found my way in.  _

 

He cracked his knuckles, went to the door, rested a hand over the knob before stopping. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Peter couldn’t quite figure out what, but--

 

\--something moved behind the dumpster, and he turned just in time to spot the shape of a person diving behind it. Peter quietly moved, began climbing the wall and scaling it so he was just above the newcomer, huddled behind the dumpster. He recognized the hat before he got around to the hair, the face, the panicked eyes. 

 

“Annemarie?!” he whispered, and she squeaked, her gaze shooting up to meet his. It was then he spotted her red, puffy eyes, she’d clearly been crying. He landed in front of her, resting his hands on her shoulders.“What the hell are you even  _ doing  _ here?!” He demanded, “This is a really dangerous situation, and you being here is incredibly--!”

 

“--I knew you’d come,” she whispered back, “but I...you don’t understand. This isn’t just any bank robbery!”

 

“What were you  _ doing _ , were you  _ following  _ me?!”

 

“N--no! Well, maybe...but--!”

 

He groaned, “Geez, Annemarie, you can’t  _ do  _ this! In case you haven’t noticed, the situations I find myself in are extremely dangerous!”

 

“Listen, just hear me out! I…” Her mouth wobbled, curled downwards as she buried her face in her hands, crying. “I know I can’t help you,” she wailed, “I’m completely useless right now, and I  _ hate  _ it! I’m only asking you for one thing, and I promise, I  _ promise  _ I’ll go away!”

 

Peter worriedly found her chin, lifted her head up to meet his masked gaze. She never cried like this, “Look, Annemarie, it’s not that I’m not worried about why you’re crying like this, but you really need to get out of here.”

 

“My mom,” she blurted out, “p--please, if you see a Wendy Abbey, please, please,  _ please  _ make sure she’s all right. Please save my mom.”

 

_ So THAT’S why she’s so upset,  _ Peter groaned inwardly. It always seemed he ended up saving an Abbey, one way or the other. First Annemarie, then her brother Adam, and now her mother.  _ Just my luck… _

 

“I’ll do everything I can,” he wiped her tears away with his thumbs, “but you’ve  _ got  _ to get out of here, okay? I can’t have you getting in trouble, too.”

 

She nodded, moved to leave.

 

That sneaking suspicion of danger piqued his senses again, and Peter instinctively turned to the door. Something was about to happen. Something--

 

“Shit!” he mumbled, quickly grabbing Annemarie and pulling her close, trying desperately to cover her just as the door was blown away along with bits and pieces of debris. She clung to him tightly and let out a scream. 

 

A bomb. Of course. The robbers knew about the damn door after all.

 

The sirens were going off, coming closer and he swore. He only had minutes, perhaps less. He pulled away, rested a hand over her cheek, ‘You okay?!”

 

She blinked, furrowed her brows in confusion, as if having difficulty understanding him.  _ Shit.  _ He had to get her out of here. He rose to his feet, grabbed her and shot out a web. She managed to hold him tightly as he swung with her, landed on another rooftop not too far from where he needed to be. He pulled away, adjusted his mask so only his mouth would show. “Are you okay?!” he spoke loudly, clearly, not mincing his words. He silently prayed she could read lips.

 

She furrowed her brow for a split second before her eyes brightened in understanding and she nodded.

 

“You’ve got hearing loss! I need you to stay right here! I’ll come back for you! Stay away from the edges!”

 

Another nod, her face twisted in pain.

 

“I’ll save your mom! I’ll make sure she’s okay and I’ll come back!”

 

She began to cry again as she nodded, squeezing his wrists tightly.

 

Guilt flooded him as he pressed his forehead to hers. If only he’d reacted quicker. “Stay safe,” he whispered, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hear him before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek and tugging his mask fully on again, diving off and back towards the devastated alleyway. He landed on his feet just in time to see the robbers high-tailing it out of there, holding garbage bags full of money. Four men, wearing all black. He could take them. 

 

They stopped upon seeing him. The police sirens were getting louder, and Peter knew he had very little time.

 

“Not a very clean getaway, huh, guys?!” he quipped before shooting webs out to the two men furthest away, both of them yelping as they were stuck to the wall. That instinct piqued again just as the third held up a gun, and before he could even realize it, he webbed the gun, snatching it away from his hands. Said gunman charged towards him, and Peter leapt to the side, aiming a hard kick to the man’s jaw, hearing it break. He let out a howl in pain, and Peter took advantage of his state by webbing him to the wall. 

 

_ Now for that last guy-- _

 

He cried out as a gun went off, and he felt the skin on his upper arm tear open as a bullet grazed him. Peter whirled around, saw the last of the robbers, a big, burly man, ready to land a blow. He moved his head a fraction just before the man’s fist could collide with his face, and he grabbed said fist, twisted his arm and threw him against the wall. Just before the man could recover, Peter webbed him up, couldn’t resist one last quip,

 

“I guess this mission of yours was impossible to accomplish, eh?”

 

The sirens were right down the alley, and Peter quickly retreated before the police could spot him, hurrying into the building to check on the hostages. He remained hidden behind the pillars overlooking the main floor, already seeing first responders and EMTs. He found a woman sitting on the floor, clearly distressed, and he noted the resemblance she bore to Annemarie.  _ That must be her mom! _

 

He studied her a while longer, breathed a small sigh of relief upon realizing no one was hurt, save for a security guard with a broken arm and another teller with a head injury and a non-fatal bullet wound on her leg. However, her mother was unharmed. Peter managed to sneak his way out, swinging over the police, the media already proclaiming news about him, and towards the very rooftop he left Annemarie.

 

She remained perfectly still upon seeing him, her face still squinched up in pain, and her hands over her ears. He adjusted his mask again, rested his hands on her shoulders, “Are you okay?”

 

She shook her head, yelled out, “I can’t hear anything you’re saying!”

 

“It’s going to take some time for you to get your hearing back! You need to get looked at by a doctor!” 

 

Her eyes went wide as she grabbed him, “My mom!”

 

“She’s okay!” He watched her shoulders sink with relief, and she let out a heavy sigh. “Everyone is okay! But I need to get you help! We need to make sure your hearing loss isn’t permanent!”

 

She shook her head, “I can’t have my mom see me!”

 

He groaned, “I think your health is more important, Annemarie!”

 

The panicked tears fell from her eyes, “My ears won’t stop ringing!”

 

“That’s why I need to get you help! You’ve got to trust me!”

 

She shook her head, “I don’t want to leave you!” Her eyes went wide as she spotted the rip in his sweatshirt, and she exclaimed, “You’re hurt!”

 

He cursed her stubbornness at a time like this, “Listen to me!” He spoke clearly, “I need to get you  _ help.  _ I can take you to another hospital or something, but you need to get checked out! Don’t worry about me! Just do as I say!”

 

There was a brief pause before she finally nodded.

 

“Don’t let go.” He said before pulling her against him, ignoring the pain in his arm as he readied a web.

 

\---

 

Adam Abbey was having a stressful day. First, he discovered his mother just barely survived a bank heist, thankfully unharmed and uninjured. Upon picking her up from Mount Sinai Hospital, after an exhausting interview with police, they received a call that Annemarie was in  _ another  _ hospital suffering from noise-induced hearing loss. Despite being shaken from her encounter with volatile bank robbers, Wendy’s concern spiked upon hearing about her daughter. By the time Adam and Wendy found themselves at a hospital in Hell’s Kitchen, it was already nearing eight o’clock in the evening and they were both exhausted.

 

“Anne, what the hell?!” Adam demanded as soon as they found her, sitting in a chair in the recovery wing, holding her head. Annemarie looked up, and the first thing she did was run to her mother and hug her, sniffling.

 

“Oh, sweetheart…” Wendy ran a hand through her hair, “What happened? Are you all right?”

 

The nurse tending to her walked up, a dark-haired and dark-skinned woman, “I’m guessing you guys are the family?”

 

“Yeah, I’m her brother, and that’s our mom,” Adam gestured to Wendy, “What happened here?”

 

“Well, your sister claims she was walking home from school and was subjected to a loud  _ bang  _ at a construction site. Says they were demolishing something,” the nurse replied. She didn’t appear convinced, “I asked her exactly where she was walking, and she claims she forgot the street names.”

 

“Sorry, we just moved here a few months ago,” Adam winced, “Is--is she gonna be okay? She’s not deaf or anything, is she?”

 

“Her hearing’s going to come back. It can range from a few hours to a few days. Thankfully she’s made some progress since we’ve looked at her. She can hear basic conversational levels, but don’t whisper just yet. If she listens to music, tell her to keep the volume low.”

 

“Thank you so much,” Wendy spoke now, holding Annemarie close, “Is there anything else? No other injuries?”

 

“No other injuries, thankfully. Now that you’re here, we can go over proper procedures so your daughter can be discharged and you’ll be free to go.”

 

“I heard about the bank,” Annemarie clung to Wendy, “Are you okay, Mommy?”

 

“Don’t worry about me, sweetheart, I’m just fine.” Wendy soothed her, ran her hands through Annemarie’s hair, “For now, let’s focus on getting you home.”

 

“Your Spidey Boy was on the news again,” Adam teased, ruffling her hair, “I think we need to thank him. He saved Mom and a lot of the people in that bank.”

 

Annemarie sighed, thought of how worried he seemed upon leaving her by the emergency room entrance. He’d told her he couldn’t stay, but that he’d come back, to make sure she was all right. She had been scared, alone, and she couldn’t help but worry about him. He was hurt, she saw it. Was he all right? Was he safe? Nevertheless, he rescued one of the most important people in her life, and she was eternally grateful. She kept a tight hold on her mother as they walked down the hall with the nurse, preparing for the discharge. 

 

\---

 

After two excruciating hours of running final tests and vitals and signing discharge papers, the Abbey family was free to go, and all three of them were swamped by the end of the night as they returned home at ten o’clock. They spent an hour eating a late dinner of eggs and ramen noodles before each of them turned in for the night, Adam being the first to knock out in his bedroom. He was snoring by the time Wendy kissed Annemarie goodnight, reassuring her everything would be just fine and that she was just fine. 

 

Annemarie spent a good chunk of time in the bathroom, processing the entire day’s events and letting herself cry a bit, overwhelmed at the thoughts of what  _ could’ve  _ happened. She ran a small hearing test on herself (found she was hearing a bit better, though there was still some ringing). She changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and was rubbing her eyes when she entered her bedroom around eleven o’clock. 

 

She was about to head to her windows to close her curtains, only to gasp upon spotting a familiar masked boy on her fire escape. He saw her, waved.

 

She was running to the window before she even realized it, yanking the window open and tugging him into her room once more. He yelped, plopped down on her floor just as she whispered, “Are you okay?”

 

“I should be asking  _ you _ that question…” He mumbled, rubbing his head.

 

Annemarie bit her lip, locked her bedroom door. She went to her desk, grabbed a notepad and a pen, handing both items to him. She gestured to her ear, whispered, “I’m doing better, but I still can’t hear when you whisper…”

 

He nodded, quickly scribbled out,  _ are you okay? _

 

Annemarie sighed, sat down in her desk chair, “I’m...I’m more relieved that my mom is okay than anything. It just feels like a lot happened today. The good news is, my hearing should come back soon...there’s still so much ringing, though…” she winced, only to frown in concern as she softly asked, “What about you? Are you okay?”

 

Another nod, he looked down to write, and held up the notepad again,  _ I stopped a few other criminals today, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you.  _

 

That earned a blush from her, and she paused when he wrote something else down,  _ I’m sorry. I wasn’t careful enough. I didn’t protect you as well as I should have and you got hurt. _

 

Her heart fell when he slumped over, hung his head in shame. Annemarie plopped onto the floor in front of him, grabbed his hands. When he looked up, she pressed a kiss to his masked cheek. “You protected me the best you could. I could’ve been worse off if you hadn’t covered me.” She murmured. 

 

He sighed, but she didn’t relent, “You did so much for me today. Thank you, Spider-Man.”

 

He pulled back, wrote,  _ What if I can’t protect you one day? _

 

“You will. I trust you.” 

 

He shook his head,  _ What if I can’t???  _ His words seemed jagged, quicker, as if he were anxious.

 

“Don’t think like that. You’re  _ Spider-Man,  _ remember? I believe in you.” She winced, felt the beginnings of a headache coming on. She groaned, and Spider-Man moved to help her. He got up, tugging her along with him. 

 

“Sorry, it’s just my head...I think I need some rest…” The dizziness swept over her, and she stumbled, only for Spider-Man to hold her up, guiding her to her bed. As soon as he got her to lie down, he tucked her in, gestured to the window in an attempt to tell her he was leaving. However, she clung to his wrist, shaking her head, “Stay? Until I fall asleep? I promise it won’t be long…”

 

He hesitated before nodding, pulling up her desk chair to sit by her. She gave a small smile, “You look so cute in my chair…”

 

He gave a thumbs up before she closed her eyes, preparing to drift off to sleep.

 

\---

 

Peter sat there for a while after Annemarie had already fallen asleep, still feeling incredibly guilty about the events that occurred. Granted, the day could have gone far worse. But the fact that Annemarie was  _ that  _ close to the line of fire made him nervous as he began to once again wonder if visiting her once in a while as his alter-ego was the right thing to do. He was putting her in harm’s way the more he associated himself with her. Maybe it was selfish to grasp for someone to understand him. He sighed, sat back, looked up at her ceiling. Finally, he got up, quietly moved her chair back, turned to a fresh page in her notepad and wrote quickly,

 

_ Annemarie -- _

 

_ I think, after what happened to you, it’s best I stay away from you. I know you didn’t get hurt that badly, but the thing is, you COULD HAVE been hurt. I think it’s really cool that I’ve found a friend in you. But it’s because you’re a friend that I need to stay away.  _

 

_ Trust me, you’re so much better off without this crap in your life. You’re so cool and so nice and I can’t let anything bad happen to you, especially with who I am. _

 

_ Please don’t try to follow me. Please don’t get into danger on my behalf. Just stay safe, okay? _

 

_ I’m sorry. I promise, I’ll always consider you a friend. _

 

_ From your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man _

  
He left the notepad on her desk, opened her window and climbed out. Before leaving, he looked over to her, sleeping peacefully. “I’m sorry,” he whispered before he shot a web, beginning his long trek home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this wasn't too great. I'm sorry. :( Much love to you all!


	18. Acting Weird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! Complete with a Connors appearance! He was a bit overdue for a return. Hope you guys enjoy!

When Annemarie awoke the following Saturday morning, she heard the sound of rain pitter-pattering on her windowsill and it was then she realized her hearing was getting better. She sat up smiling as she kicked the covers off of her, swung her legs over the side of her bed and stuffed her feet in her fuzzy slippers as she prepared for the day ahead. Dr. Connors’ lecture was first on her to-do list, and then who knew what else? She shuffled over to her closet, pulled out a sweater, jeans and some rain boots, changing quickly. Then, she went to her desk, found a stray hairclip to pin her hair up for her upcoming bathroom routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth. It was as she pinned up her hair that she caught sight of her notepad. Her heart leapt at the sight of Spider-Man’s familiar scrawl. However, that happiness was short-lived as she read and reread the words he left behind. Her hands dropped to her sides, her hair becoming a curtain around her as she perused the letter. With trembling hands, Annemarie picked up her notepad, her heart feeling heavier by the second.

 

_ I’m sorry. I promise, I’ll always consider you a friend. _

 

He left. He left and he wasn’t coming back. Annemarie felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes as she blinked rapidly in an attempt to keep them at bay. Nevertheless, they formed, fell in two steady streams down her cheeks. She didn’t move to wipe her eyes, and a stray tear fell onto the letter, a bit of ink smudging. 

 

He was a superhero. Of course he didn’t have time for someone like her.  _ How could I be so stupid and naive?,  _ Annemarie thought bitterly, finally wiping her eyes. A part of her contemplated throwing the letter away, but her foolish sentimental heart deemed to fold it and tuck it away in her drawer. It was all she had left of Spider-Man. She figured she might as well keep it.

 

Sniffling one more time, Annemarie pinned up her hair and left her room. The minute she opened the door she was greeted to the smell of French toast and maple syrup. As much as she loved French toast, her appetite seemed nonexistent as she walked down the hallway to the bathroom, knocking on the closed door.

 

She heard the sound of a running shower along with Adam singing hideously off-key. Rolling her eyes, Annemarie hollered, “You almost done, Adam?! I’ve got to use the bathroom, I’ve got to head to Connors’ lecture!”

 

“Be out in a minute!” Adam called back before resuming his awful singing. She huffed, leaned against the wall beside the door as she waited for Adam to finish. She cringed when she heard him try to hit a particularly high note only for his voice to crack horribly. Then, she heard the shower turn off, and Adam burst out in a pink robe. Annemarie raised an eyebrow, “Is that  _ Mom’s _ ?”

 

“Yeah. I feel pretty today.” Adam deadpanned before giving her a playful nudge in the shoulder. He left her alone then, off to the kitchen. Annemarie gave a fond smile before entering the bathroom. She washed her face and brushed her teeth quickly, trying not to look at herself in the mirror. She ended her routine by tying her hair up in a ponytail, turning to dry her face and mouth only to find--

 

“ _ ADAM, YOU TOOK THE LAST TOWEL!” _

 

\---

 

Dr. Connors’ lecture went by smoothly, with Annemarie taking notes and color coding everything as needed for Adam to go over later. However, despite Connors keeping her interest and his lecture fascinating her, she still couldn’t stop thinking about the letter Spider-Man had left behind. By the time the lecture finished, it was still raining outside and Annemarie’s heart was still heavy. She put down her pen, put away her binder and colored Post-Its and stuffed them in her bag before approaching Connors’ desk as usual.

 

“Miss Abbey,” Connors greeted, though he frowned upon noting her lack of enthusiasm. “Did my lesson bore you today?”

 

Annemarie gasped, her eyes going wide. The last thing she wanted was to offend her idol, “Oh, n--no, no, not at all! It was amazing, Dr. Connors, and very informative! I’m just having a rough day, that’s all!”

 

Connors assembled his papers before readying his satchel and beginning his trek across campus, Annemarie on his left. “A rough day? Care to discuss it?”

 

Annemarie bit her lip. She’d had wonderful conversations and made a friend that no one could ever know about. But perhaps being a bit vague wouldn’t hurt. Perhaps Connors could help. She couldn’t go to Adam or her mother about this. They’d freak out or blow it way out of proportion and she didn’t feel like dealing with all of that. 

 

Plus, it wasn’t the smartest idea to tell them he was in her room most nights.

 

“Well, Dr. Connors, I...met someone.” Annemarie began, squeezing her bag strap.

 

Connors had a tiny, amused smile on his face, “Oh? Is this a matter of romance, Miss Abbey?”

 

Annemarie felt the butterflies flutter unceremoniously in her stomach, and her cheeks grew hot as she chirped, “N--no! Well…” She hesitated, thought about how every time he’d visited, she felt as if they were the only two people in the world. A little more honesty wouldn’t hurt, would it? “We’re friends...I think...but I do like him.”

 

“So it  _ is  _ a boy,” Connors chuckled, “what seems to be the issue, Miss Abbey?”

 

“Well, see, we were talking...a lot...and we seemed to have a lot of fun together. But, recently…” She sighed, “...he feels like...if we talk...he’s afraid of hurting me. So...he’s distanced himself from me. And...I don’t know what to do.”

 

Connors frowned again, “Hurting you? Miss Abbey, I sincerely hope you aren’t referring to anything resembling abuse.”

 

“N--no, nothing like that, just...he’s...he gets involved in dangerous things.” Annemarie mumbled, fiddling with her fingers, “And he’s afraid that if we keep talking, I’ll get caught up in those dangerous things...and because of that he wants to stay away from me.”

 

Connors pursed his lips, sighed, “This is quite a tricky situation. Especially since you are not being clear as to what  _ dangerous things _ this boy gets involved in.”

 

This wasn’t going well. “It’s nothing super bad, Dr. Connors...he’s... _ inspired... _ by Spider-Man and what he does for the city. So sometimes, he...tries to help where it’s super dangerous?” 

 

Connors didn’t look amused this time, instead he was serious as they stopped in front of the library to speak more, as part of their weekend routine. “I don’t believe I’m the best person to provide advice, Miss Abbey. I also feel that you are not being entirely truthful with me. As a scientist I require all facts in order to provide a conclusion. As a friend, I find I’m concerned for your safety. Have you spoken to your parents about this?”

 

Annemarie’s heart fell further, “D--Dr. Connors, you don’t understand. You’re one of the smartest people I know and respect. Being able to sit in your lectures has been an honor and a privilege. I’d want nothing more than advice from you.”

 

He regarded her for a long moment, finally sighing in resignation as he began, “Well...Miss Abbey, if I were in your position...I would try to look at it in  _ his  _ perspective. You say he gets involved in dangerous situations, and from what information you’ve provided, I’d say that involves some type of vigilantism. Inspired by the Spider-Man, as you claim. He must care for you quite a bit if it means he is willing to distance himself from you to keep you safe. I would urge you, however, to not pursue it any further. I say this as a matter of your safety. It’s a dangerous world we live in, Miss Abbey.”

 

“He’s never put me in danger.”  _ Though I’ve chased him…,  _ “In fact, he makes sure I’m always away from it.”

 

“Then that’s a very good thing. Although I feel he’s done a far greater good by distancing himself. It is not because you are an unpleasant person, Miss Abbey. On the contrary, you are very bright and very spirited. Sometimes, the best thing to do is move forward without certain people in your life.”

 

“So...you’re telling me I shouldn’t do anything?” She whispered sadly.

 

“I know it isn’t what you wish to hear. But sometimes in life we must hear the truth.” Connors replied, “And I know this isn’t very good to hear either, but there are often better fish in the sea. You  _ are  _ young, and have plenty of time for romance.”

 

She deflated, despite her logic telling her he was absolutely right. “I’m sorry, Dr. Connors. I just...I really liked this boy…”

 

“He is also young, I presume?”

 

“Yes. He’s around my age.”  _ I think… _

 

“Then perhaps he will change and stop his dangerous activities. It’s all in the path of growing up. I would not recommend holding out for that, however. Move forward and continue with your life. If it is meant to be so, then you will both find each other again. Maybe down the line. College, perhaps? Hopefully here on this campus,” Connors chuckled.

 

Annemarie raised her eyebrow, “So...you’re telling me to trust in  _ fate _ ?” She smiled a bit at that, “Dr. Connors, you’re a scientist! I thought scientists didn’t believe in fate! That everything has a reason and way of working.”

 

“And yet there are anomalies science has yet to explain, or cannot explain. To this day, we do not have an equation for a human soul.” Connors shrugged, “Although I am a scientist, I find I like to be surprised once in a while.”

 

“Me too,” Annemarie had a full grin now as she took in his words. She had experienced so much in New York already that perhaps there was more to look forward to. “Thanks, Dr. Connors. I...I think I needed to hear that today.”

 

“I am glad that my words provided some comfort. What will you be off to now? A whole day is ahead of you.”

 

Annemarie shrugged, “I was thinking I’d just head home and watch some documentaries.”

 

“That’s all? You’re young, Miss Abbey! Why not go out? Do…whatever it is young people do these days…” Connors shrugged. “All this studying, I condone occasionally taking a break.”

 

“But it’s raining…”

 

“If my wife were here, she would  _ tsk _ at you. Weather should not stop you. Unless it’s severe weather advisory...then I wouldn’t recommend that. Perhaps hang out with some friends of yours from school? Or Mr. Abbey, perhaps?”

 

Annemarie giggled, “Maybe I’ll do something different...what about you, Dr. Connors? Are you working on your experiment again?”

 

“Yes, but only briefly today. I’ve a lunch date with my wife that I don’t want to miss,” he chuckled, “Same time next week, Miss Abbey?”

 

Annemarie nodded happily, “Definitely!”

 

She waved as he entered the library, her mind already swimming with possible ideas for the day. 

 

And as she took out her phone, she knew just the people she wanted to spend said day with. 

 

\---

 

Peter was happily asleep when his phone started buzzing incessantly on his nightstand, the noise waking him from a restful nap after a night of crimefighting. He groaned, kept his face buried in his pillow as he felt around for his phone, managing to grab it. He looked up briefly before choosing to answer the call, buried his face back into his pillow as he groaned out, “Hello?”

 

“Peter? Hi! It’s Annemarie.”

 

His head shot up. He wasn’t prepared to hear her voice to greet the day. But he didn’t want to be an asshole and just hang up. “Uh...hey…”

 

“You sound really weird. Are you okay?”

 

Another groan before he nodded, “No, I’m good. I just...woke up.”

 

“Oh, no, I’m so sorry! I...it’s almost noon…but, I’m so sorry to bother you!”

 

“It’s fine…” He hated how she apologized and spoke so fervently and how it made him feel guilty every single time. He wished he could just be her friend like a normal person and not think about how shitty he’d been leaving her behind that night, “You’re not bothering me. What’s up?”

 

“W--well, I...I’m around Midtown University’s campus, and I just figured I had nothing else to do today, and I was wondering if maybe you and Ned wanted to hang out? I already spoke with Ned, and he’s on his way here...I...I thought we could all have pizza or something…”

 

_ Say no,  _ he thought, sitting up as he ran a hand through his messy hair. He’d spent far too much time thinking about how his alter ego had endangered her, and could continue endangering her. As much as he enjoyed being Spider-Man, he wouldn’t enjoy it at all if it meant an innocent girl got hurt because of him. His selfishness hurt her. But being Peter Parker would be difficult around her as well. Annemarie was often far too observant for his liking. Coupled with her fascination with his alter ego made him wonder how she would really feel knowing the loser underneath. Perhaps keeping his distance--entirely--was best.

 

_ But she’s also friends with Ned,  _ he groaned inwardly, knowing that if he even attempted to distance himself, Ned would be on him like a hawk. Ned wasn’t stupid, either, and he would know something was up. And he couldn’t risk Ned finding out his secret too.. 

 

“Um...Peter?”

 

“Sure,” he blurted out without really thinking about it, widening his eyes upon realizing he just accepted her offer, “I’ll...be there. Just let me get ready and I’ll meet you guys.”

 

“Great!” It killed him how she sounded so excited, and he hated how he liked hearing her happy, “I’ll meet you guys at the pizza place we went to last time. You remember which one, right?”

 

“Yeah. Don’t get pineapples.” He replied, smiling a bit at that odd quirk.

 

“I’ll get whatever I darn well please, Parker. Be there or be square!”

 

He chuckled, “‘Kay. I’ll see you in a bit.”

 

He hung up, sighed as he buried his face in his hands, “What am I gonna do with her…?”

 

“With who?” A new voice asked, making him jump as he quickly looked to find May standing at his doorway, grinning slyly. Peter felt his face get hot as he shook his head, “Uh...no one! Just, uh, a project at school...uh...I’ve gotta go!”

 

May frowned, “Where are you off to?”

 

“Nowhere, just...Annemarie called and she wants us to hang out...me, her, and Ned...so...yeah…”

 

The smile returned, “That sweet girl with the hat?”

 

“Y--yeah, you remember her…”

 

“Well, go on, get ready. Don’t keep a girl waiting, tough guy!” she winked, making Peter’s face grow hotter, “Have fun!”

 

\---

 

“And then, she looked  _ right at me _ ,” Ned concluded dramatically as the three of them sat in the pizza parlor an hour later. Ned was sitting over his cheese slice, telling his story about how Liz Allan bumped into him one gripping morning at school. “Like... _ right  _ at me. And she gave that sweet smile, and said…” He cleared his throat before proclaiming, “.... _ do you want to go out to the movies this weekend _ ?”

 

Annemarie almost choked on her iced tea, laughing as she playfully swatted at him, “She did  _ not  _ say that!”

 

“Okay, she didn’t,” Ned admitted, “But I  _ wish  _ she did. I’m telling you, Liz is gorgeous. She’s like Midtown High’s Next Top Model.”

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes, “Okay, she’s pretty, but you have to step it up if you wanna talk to her!” She giggled, turned to Peter on her left, “Right, Peter?”

 

Peter started before nodding, “Uh, yeah…” He kept his gaze averted from hers as he took another bite of pizza.

 

Annemarie frowned. He was acting a bit strange. When he arrived, Annemarie had ran to hug him, but he moved away. He barely even looked at her. Why was he acting so weird? Annemarie grew a bit worried. Perhaps she’d done something wrong? Maybe she upset him somehow?

 

“Well, help us, Anne!” Ned pleaded, “Besides, you could win us some time with her once you start volleyball!”

 

Annemarie shook her head, “Okay, Monday isn’t here yet, you guys! For all we know, I won’t even make the team!”

 

“You’re totally gonna make it because Liz likes you.” Ned admitted slyly. 

 

“She doesn’t  _ like _ me.” Annemarie rolled her eyes again.

 

“Then why does she keep talking to you?  _ Anne _ , you’re our way  _ in!  _ Do you realize the importance of your fate with her?!” Ned whispered confidentially, as if discussing an elaborate plot. He deepened his voice, “Show us the way, Frodo!”

 

Annemarie giggled again, “This isn’t  _ Lord of the Rings,  _ Ned. I’m not Frodo and I’m probably not even going to make the stupid team. So calm down, Gollum.”

 

“You are gonna make the team!” Ned glanced at Peter, “Pete, come on, tell Anne she’s gonna make the team.”

 

“You’re...uh, gonna make the team,” Peter mumbled, fiddling with an imaginary lint on his hoodie. Annemarie frowned again, furrowed her brow in concern. 

 

“Dude, you all right?” Ned asked, “You’re all zoned out and everything. What’s up?”

 

Peter suddenly took out his phone upon hearing a familiar ringtone. He regarded his phone briefly before suddenly saying, “Uh, I gotta go...M--May needs my help with some, uh...gardening…”

 

He got up, brushed past Annemarie to hurry out. She looked to Ned, who shrugged, clearly just as confused as she was. “He tends to skip out. He’s close with his aunt.” Ned tried to explain.

 

This wasn’t enough for Annemarie, “I’ll be back, Ned. Wait here.”

 

She got up, went after Peter, who seemed to be moving a bit too quickly to be merely skipping out. He got outside when she called out to him, “Peter!”

 

He stopped, turned to face her. He looked almost panicked as he spoke, “Listen, Anne, I’ve gotta go, okay?”

 

“Where?” Annemarie narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she crossed her arms.

 

“I...got homework…” he trailed off, looking at anything but her.

 

This wasn’t funny anymore. Annemarie recognized this behavior, and she knew it all too well. She rolled her eyes. She had enough of that in California. She wasn’t having it here. “Wow, because you literally just said your aunt needed you for  _ gardening,  _ of all things. Considering I’ve  _ been to your apartment,  _ I know that’s a lie.”

 

Peter’s eyes were wide, as if he’d been caught eating cookies before dinner. Annemarie sighed sadly, “Look, I get it, okay? I’m annoying. I worry when you’re injured and I make you tell me everything because I hate secrets between friends. You’ve been acting weird all day now, and I’m sick of you pretending it’s not me.”

 

Peter looked as if she told him she had two heads, “What? No! Anne…” He stammered for a bit, only to sigh in resignation, “It’s not you, okay? It’s...it’s  _ really  _ not you...it’s...it’s me.” he finally said lamely.

 

“Somehow that makes me feel  _ so  _ much better,” she replied sarcastically, hating how she felt hurt at his strange behavior.

 

“I’m being serious, it’s not--!”

 

“--then where are you going? Are you really going because your aunt needs you? Or because you just don’t want to hang out with me?”

 

_ Neither, there’s a bodega being robbed as we speak,  _ Peter thought, running a hand through his hair. He sighed, “Really. My...aunt needs me. It’s got nothing to do with you, okay?”

 

She regarded him for a while before sighing, “I don’t know. I feel...like you’re lying to me. I feel like you’ve been lying to me this whole time. I dunno, maybe you only tolerate me. You never seem to like talking to me much, anyway.” She kept her voice bitter, defensive, in an attempt to hide her hurt. To hide her urge to cry like a pathetic moron.

 

Peter felt an uncomfortable pit form in his stomach, “Anne...that’s not true--!”

 

“--just go. Help your aunt. I’ll see you at school.” She waved dismissively before going back inside the pizza parlor.

 

_ Way to go, Parker,  _ he thought bitterly before sighing, hurrying to the nearest alleyway to change.

 

\---

 

If there was anything Annemarie Abbey hated more than friends being avoidant towards her, it was being late for school. Sunday night ended with her overthinking and overanalyzing possible reasons as to why Peter was so distant with her, why Spider-Man just up and left after  _ one  _ mishap. She fell asleep three hours before her alarm went off. She completely overslept, getting up fifteen minutes late. It drove her insane, and while she arrived to school just as the first bell rang (which technically made her  _ on time _ ), she was a frazzled mess as she fished her books out of her locker for her first class of the day.

 

“On time is  _ late _ ,” she grumbled, displeased with her own carelessness, “I’m such an  _ idiot _ …”

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a group of girls walking down the hall, towards her. She just got her books and pencil case, slamming her locker shut only to be shoved violently against her locker, hurting her arm. Annemarie let out a cry, turning to find Stephanie walking past her, shooting her a dirty glare before turning the corner with her sniggering friends in tow. 

 

And then there was  _ Stephanie,  _ who had this vendetta against her ever since she started playing volleyball in P.E. Frustrated tears stung the corners of Annemarie’s eyes as she thought about everything going on so far.  _ So much for a fresh start here,  _ she thought bitterly, beginning her trek to class.

 

She walked in just as the late bell rang, found her seat between Ned and Michelle.

 

“What’s up with you?” Michelle raised an eyebrow, “You look like as if you’re going to kick someone’s a--!”

 

“--not now, okay?!” Annemarie snapped, opening her binder and getting ready for the lesson.

 

“Okay, Grumpy,” Michelle sarcastically replied, opening her notebook. 

 

Ned bit his lower lip nervously before leaning in to whisper, “You okay?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Annemarie replied quickly.

 

“Peter and I were waiting for you before class. I told him he needed to apologize for skipping out Saturday--!”

 

“--Ned, it’s pretty obvious why he did, okay, so can we  _ not  _ talk about it right now?” Annemarie whispered back, trying very hard not to cry. She hated being so weak. She wished she could be more like Adam. Whenever he was bothered, he’d just let it roll off his back and he’d grin and bear it and move on. Not like her. She wished she could talk to him, too. But he was so busy with Joanna these days, and his new college friends. She began writing notes as Mr. Friedman began talking about  _ Macbeth.  _

 

“It’s not that Peter hates you, Anne...he’s just going through a lot right now…”

 

She snorted, opted not to reply. 

 

There was a brief pause before Ned whispered one thing that confused her, “Congratulations, by the way.”

 

That caught her attention, “What are you talking about?”

 

“Hey, guys!” Mr. Friedman looked in her and Ned’s direction, “Look, I’m all for us bonding, but can you guys wait until after class?”

 

“Sorry, Mr. Friedman,” Ned mumbled. Annemarie kept her eyes downcast.

 

“It’s all right, just pay attention, guys, okay?”

 

As soon as Mr. Friedman turned his back to write on the board, Annemarie looked to Ned, mouthed, “What?”

 

Ned’s eyes were wide with excitement, “You didn’t see the list when you came in? You’re  _ on the team _ !”

 

As if the day couldn’t get any worse. Annemarie groaned, buried her face in her hands.

 

“Never should have tried out,” Michelle grumbled next to her, “you’re in for one hell of a social beating.”

 

\---

 

The list was a short one, consisting mostly of juniors and seniors, with only one freshman and three sophomores. And sure enough, out of the three sophomores in the team, Annemarie was one of them. She bit her lower lip, feeling helplessly exposed as she read and reread the list of names tacked to the school’s main bulletin board between classes. “I don’t believe this,” she groaned, “I...I didn’t think I’d actually  _ get in _ .”

 

“It’s great!” Ned praised, holding onto his bag, “You’re  _ in,  _ Annemarie! Now you can totally help us with Liz!”

 

“This can’t be happening…” Annemarie grumbled, catching a glimpse of Stephanie nearby, looking furious as she glared her way while mumbling to her friends. 

 

“Well, it is! Don’t sweat it! You’re gonna be badass, Anne!” Ned seemed far more enthusiastic than she did, beaming at her. “Maybe we can write an article about the team. Get us a testimonial from the  _ lovely Liz… _ ”

 

“Hey, guys,” a new, familiar voice spoke behind them. Annemarie felt the pit in her stomach as she turned with Ned to find Peter in his usual sweatshirt, his bag slung over his shoulder. As soon as Peter’s eyes met hers, Annemarie quickly looked away, instead looking at her boots. They were a gift from her mother after they moved, brown combat boots with a star sticker on the right toe. The sticker was a touch from Adam (who she really wished she could talk to at the moment), who claimed to be  _ bedazzling her footwear.  _

 

“Isn’t it awesome that Anne made the team, Pete?” Ned burst out excitedly, clearly trying to bridge the gap of tension the two had. “I told her she’d be badass!”

 

“Y--yeah, that’s awesome. I’m glad you tried out, Annemarie,” Peter tried, gauging Annemarie’s reaction. Ned had cornered him earlier in the morning, wondering what was up with skipping out on Saturday. Of course he noticed the obvious tension between him and Annemarie, as when he left, Ned claimed she was bummed the rest of the day. “ _ She was super tense about you, man. Did you guys have a fight or something? She thinks you hate her, man! What gives _ ?”

 

“Thanks,” she said quickly, “I’ve got to get to class.” 

 

She brushed past Peter, clutching her binder tightly as she walked down the hall. Peter stared after her, feeling guilty.  _ But it’s for the best. I’ve got to keep her safe. _

 

“Uh, dude, don’t you guys have Chemistry next?” Ned asked.

 

“Y--yeah…” Peter furrowed his brow, “So?”

 

Ned looked at him as if he admitted he was eating glass for breakfast, “So  _ walk  _ with her to class!  _ Duh _ ! You guys better not be like this during lunch! You’re my best news team!” He said before heading off in the opposite direction.

 

Peter sighed before hurrying after Annemarie, managing to catch up and meet her strides, “Hey, Annemarie,” he tried once more.

 

“Hey,” she kept her voice even and distant, not once looking his way. 

 

“I was thinking...I mean, we both have Chemistry next, so why not walk to class together?”

 

“Yeah, sure,” she said dryly, clutching her bag strap. 

 

_ Say something,  _ Peter urged himself. “Uh...so, are you happy you made the team?”

 

She shrugged in response before muttering, “It's all right.”

“Just all right? I figured you'd be excited.” 

 

“Why would I be excited?” Annemarie asked as they entered the lab, sitting at their usual seats. “I said I'd try out. Not get in.”

 

“Anne, you're good at volleyball. Liz must have thought so, too, that's why she had you join.”

 

“Great. I have the Almighty Liz’s approval.” She retorted dryly, opening her binder. 

 

Peter groaned inwardly. This was getting out of hand, “Annemarie, I don't want things to be weird between us--!”

 

“Peter, you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. You don't have to pretend to like me if you don't want to.”

 

“I do wanna talk to you. And...and I do like you, Annemarie. I've...I've got a lot going on, that's all.”

 

“I know that. And I'm trying to help. I know you get beat up a lot. You just...won't tell me anything.”

 

“You don't need to worry about me, okay?”

 

“But I do. I...I thought we were friends,” Annemarie replied sadly, hating how quickly she had caved. She absently thought about the web-slinging superhero that used to be a regular on her fire escape. She hated how her words to Peter seemingly applied to Spider-Man as well. She sighed, looked up briefly and caught Liz’s glance across the room. Liz gave a bright smile, waved, and mouthed an excited  _ hi.  _ She hesitated before waving and looking away.

 

“We  _ are  _ friends, Annemarie.”  _ That's why this is so hard. I can't endanger you. I just can't.  _ “Look, I'll make it up to you. Maybe we can hang out this coming Saturday? We can probably do a movie marathon or something.”

 

She hesitated, looked into his eyes, studying him. Finally, she nodded, “Okay.”

 

He smiled, “Cool.”

 

\---

 

Later on in the day, Annemarie walked down the hallway to the cafeteria feeling a bit better about the day. Granted, her day started off a bit rocky, but she was happy that her and Peter seemed to be all right.  _ At least something worked out today,  _ Annemarie thought as she absently wondered what to eat for lunch. Perhaps her usual apple and milk? Or maybe the chili? She  _ was  _ a bit hungrier than usual…

 

“Annemarie! Wait up!” 

 

Annemarie stopped upon hearing a new voice, only to walk a bit faster upon realizing Liz was at her right, trying to hold a conversation, “So are you excited? Our first practice is after school! We can finally get started on a great year!”

 

“Um...yeah, I guess I’m excited,” Annemarie opted to keep her answers brief and free of any information Liz could possibly use against her. “So...uh...what’s up?”

 

“Oh, if you don’t mind, I have another question for you. I’ve got a free period so I can walk you to your next class if you want.”

 

_ Oh, no.  _ The anxiety filled her as she nodded, “Sure…”

 

“Great!” Liz gave her a perfect smile, “So, I often help out with planning school events, and at the end of the month I’m hoping to do a Halloween dance party where everyone dresses up in costume! I was actually wondering if maybe you could help out? If you have any suggestions, I’m more than happy to hear them.”

 

They just entered the cafeteria when Annemarie furrowed her brow. She stopped, shot a glance at Ned and Peter, who were waiting at their usual table. Both boys’ eyes were wide upon seeing who she was talking to, “Um...I mean...I don’t know what I can really do, but--!”

 

“--you can help plan the event! And maybe, since you’re on the newspaper and all, you could increase some buzz about it? If that’s not too much to ask,” Liz seemed almost shy. It unnerved Annemarie as she continued, “I really could use some help. Plus, I feel like we could work really well together!”

 

Annemarie hesitated, opened her mouth to give an answer until she realized everyone in the cafeteria was staring at her. No, not just staring.  _ Giggling.  _ Pointing. Laughing. Her heart beat wildly in her ears as she stopped. Liz apparently sensed her unease, as she grew quiet as well, “What’s wrong?”

 

Almost as if on cue, one of the boys in Annemarie’s algebra class sniggered as he walked up, handed her a paper, “Nice bod, New Girl.” He laughed again before hurrying off to sit with his friends, all laughing at her.

 

_ What’s going on?  _ Annemarie felt a pit form in her stomach as she watched Stephanie hand over two fliers to Ned and Peter. Both of them took one look at it before Ned quickly looked up and exclaimed, “That’s not cool, Steph!”

 

Her other classmate Michelle, who wasn’t sitting too far from Ned and Peter, rolled her eyes, “Wow, Steph. You’re a real Picasso.” She spoke dryly, ripping up the paper.

 

With shaky hands, she looked at the paper her classmate had given her. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized it was the body of a professional volleyball player with Annemarie’s head photoshopped in place, along with the word  _ loser  _ written in ugly, sharp black marker.

 

“Here’s to a good year,  _ loser _ ,” Stephanie sneered, holding up her milk carton as if it were a glass of champagne. With that, almost the entire cafeteria burst into laughter, each chuckle sending daggers into Annemarie’s heart. She absently felt Liz’s hand on her shoulder, faintly heard her yelling a string of words at Stephanie, but she couldn’t make out what they were. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at Ned and Peter, she was so humiliated. All she saw were the faces of her fellow classmates, pointing and laughing. Big, fat tears blurred her vision, and she couldn’t take any more of the laughter as she snatched herself out of Liz’s grip, turned around, and ran as fast as she could out of the cafeteria. Even when she turned the corner and ran down the hall, she still heard the chorus of laughter ringing in her ears. She ran into the girls’ bathroom, the one furthest away by the art rooms. She locked herself in a stall, buried her face in her hands and cried, never wanting to come out ever again.

 

_ I’m skipping my classes. I’m going to go to the nurse’s office and find an excuse to go home. I can’t. I never should have joined that stupid volleyball team.  _ She hated how she felt a sting of resentment towards Spider-Man.  _ I never should have listened to his stupid advice! I’m a loser! And now everyone knows it… _

 

She grabbed some toilet paper from the giant roll, used some of it to wipe her eyes and her nose, but the tears kept falling. She sat on the toilet seat, continued crying in silence.

 

“Annemarie?”

 

She froze at the voice that now filled the bathroom. She sniffed loudly and swallowed the lump in her throat, “P--Peter?”

 

“Hey.” Sure enough, it was him. He sounded gentle, quieter than usual. “You okay?”

 

“You…” she hiccuped, “...you aren’t supposed to be in here...this--this is the girls’ bathroom…”

 

“Yeah, well, you went in the boys’ bathroom to help  _ me _ last time, so...I thought I’d return the favor…” He sounded closer now, perhaps heading towards her stall. 

 

“W--what if someone walks in?”

 

“I’m not really worried about that, y’know?”

 

She sighed, picked at her fingernails. She began peeling away at the chipping polish on her thumbnail. “I...I’m humiliated!” She sniffled, “Everyone was laughing at me back there!”

 

“Not everyone. Ned wasn’t laughing. Some girl named Michelle didn’t laugh, either...and--and Liz was mad.” He chuckled, “You should have seen her, she was yelling at Steph as if she was on trial for something…”

 

“Not helping right now,” She whispered, sniffling again. 

 

“Right, sorry…j--just ignore her, okay? Stephanie’s always had something mean to say about everyone. No one really pays her any mind…”

 

“They paid enough attention to her stupid pictures,” she sobbed, “and everyone laughed at me.” She let out a shaky sigh, “I never should have tried out for the stupid volleyball team…”

 

“Why not?” He was right outside her stall now. Annemarie could see his old sneakers when she looked under the door. “You did great back in tryouts…”

 

“Don’t you get it, Peter?” She sniffed, “Liz is the captain. And she’s popular. Almost every popular girl is on the team. And now...now that I’m one of the volleyball team members...everyone is going to  _ see  _ me.  _ Me.  _ The loser girl from Orange County who hates sports and spends her free time  _ studying,  _ of all things. I wanted to start a new life here because I didn’t want to be seen as a loser anymore. But--but now everyone sees it. And I can’t undo it. I can’t just disappear...and I want to. More than anything.” 

 

She heard Peter sigh before replying, “You can’t disappear, Annemarie. Who else is gonna write those kick-ass articles about Spider-Man? Who else is gonna put pineapples on pizza and watch movies with me and Ned? I mean, look at me--I’m a loser. I try not to be seen at all, but I still get picked on. Look, it’s gonna be old news by next week. And people  _ hate  _ old news. Besides,  _ I  _ see you...and...and I like what I see.”

 

His words made her look up at the locked door. “You...you do?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You...you don’t find me annoying?”

 

“Of course not! You...you worry about people. And...and that’s a good thing. It means you care.”

 

Annemarie took a deep breath. Despite his reassuring words, she still felt incredibly heavy. And it wasn’t just because of Stephanie’s cruel prank. “I...I never should have listened to him.” She admitted quietly.

 

“Who?” 

 

She bit her lip. There would be no going back once she said it, but she couldn’t keep it inside anymore. “Spider-Man. The reason I joined the team was because Spider-Man...told me...to try out…”

 

“W--wait...S--Spider-Man?!” His voice squeaked in surprise. Annemarie giggled at that before continuing, “I...I know it’s gonna sound really weird, but...after I posted that video thanking him on YouTube, he...he found me. A--and we talked. He...he used to come to my fire escape every night. And...and it was nice...we used to talk about anything and everything. But--but then he--decided not to see me anymore. Because he doesn’t want to endanger me.

 

“And I get it,” she couldn’t stop, she was rambling, letting it all out to  _ someone,  _ “okay? I really do. Because he’s a superhero, he’s getting famous. He can’t afford to get close to anyone, and...of all people...why me? He wouldn’t waste his time with me…” She sniffled at that, “...but...he was nice. And...I don’t know his name or what he looks like, but...he was my friend. And it hasn’t been that long. But I miss him.”

 

There was a long pause. Annemarie absently wondered if he left. However, when she looked down to still see his feet, she saw he was indeed still with her. She smiled sadly, “You don’t believe me, do you.” It was more a statement than a question. “I know. You must think I’m some crazy Spider-Man fangirl who’s making it all up, but I’m  _ telling  _ you--!”

 

“--I believe you.” He spoke so quietly she almost didn’t hear him. 

 

“Really?”

 

“Y--yeah. I mean...he--uh--saved me once, too.”

 

Her eyes widened, “He did?!”

 

“Yeah, he’s cool, I guess...but...you shouldn’t say that about yourself, Anne. I’m sure if he was talking to you, he must’ve--thought you were really special.”

 

She scoffed, “Not really. He doesn’t want to see me anymore. I’m just a loser.”

 

“No, Anne, you’re not. You’re--you’re smart, and you’re nice, and you’re cool. I...I’m glad we’re friends.”

 

Her heart swelled at that, and she rose to her feet, unlatched the door and pulled it open, finding Peter leaning against the wall waiting for her. “Do you mean that?” She asked hopefully.

 

He gave her a gentle smile, “Yeah. ‘Course I do.”

 

There was a rush of affection then, and Annemarie walked over and hugged him tightly, taking in his scent, “Thank you, Peter.”

 

He remained frozen at her sudden gesture, “Uh...sure. I try…” he half-heartedly joked.

 

“No. You really helped. I...I needed someone. Thank you. I’m glad we’re friends, too.”

 

Her smile widened when she felt his arms wrap around her then, pulling her close. “I’m--sorry,” he blurted out suddenly.

 

“For what?”

 

“F--for what Stephanie did. I...I didn’t come to your defense quickly enough.”

 

“You’re here now,” she replied, “and that’s what matters.”

 

They remained silent for a while, just hugging each other. Finally, Annemarie spoke, “Listen, you can’t tell anyone what I just told you, okay? About Spider-Man. Not even Ned. This...this stays between us, okay?”

 

“‘Kay.”

 

“You swear?”

 

“I swear.” They pulled away, and Peter held up a pinky. She frowned, and he uttered, “Come on. This is your thing, right?”

 

She linked her pinky with his, nodding and giggling.

 

“We still have twenty minutes of lunch left. Ned’s waiting for us outside the cafeteria. He snuck out some pudding. We can hang out by the lockers until the bell rings if you want.”

 

She grinned, “...I like pudding.”

 

“Yeah?” He grinned back, “Well, let’s go before he eats it all. The chocolate is his weakness.”

 

She giggled, “Lead the way!”


	19. Wendy Darling & The Lost Boys

It took quite a bit of convincing for Annemarie to swallow her nerves and enter the gymnasium after school for her first volleyball practice. Ned and Peter accompanied her, held her in place when she tried to leave. 

 

“I  _ can’t… _ ” Annemarie whined, “Most of those girls laughed at me…”

 

“They won't laugh if Liz tells them not to!” Ned exclaimed, “Besides, you made the team! You can't chicken out now!”

 

“Liz will have your back, Anne. Trust me. She's not...she's not like everyone else.” Peter muttered, his cheeks reddening a bit. “Just go in there and do what you do best.”

 

“Quit? That sounds like a viable option.” Annemarie retorted.

 

Ned and Peter sighed in unison. 

 

“Don’t give up, Anne.” Peter replied, “Besides, Ned and I want to go to the games and watch you kick ass.” He grinned.

 

Annemarie groaned, “I know you guys are right...but...it's hard…”

 

“How about this?” Ned suggested before loudly pushing the door open, “Heyyyyyy, Liz! Sorry we’re late, but Annemarie is here to play!”

 

Annemarie shot Ned a glare, only for him to wink and mouth, “You owe me.”

 

Liz turned, her eyes widening upon seeing them. “Annemarie! I'm so glad you showed up!” she beckoned her with a free hand, “Come on, we’re discussing uniforms and such…”

 

Annemarie bit her lip at the sight of the other teammates. Two of them sniggered while the rest stared at her. She hesitated before crossing the gymnasium, sitting quietly on the bleachers, looking down at her folded hands. She briefly glanced up to find Ned and Peter give a wave behind the closed gym doors, Peter even going as far as giving her a thumbs up and a wink. She smiled a bit before looking away, opting to pay attention to Liz’s suggestions.

 

“So, what do you think, girls? White and blue? Or yellow and purple? I mean, white and blue looks  _ wayyyy  _ more glamorous on us, but yellow and purple are closest to our school’s colors…” Liz stood in front of a white board, writing potential color schemes in blue marker. “I’m open to any suggestions!”

 

“How about white and  _ loser _ ?” One of the girls mumbled, causing the rest of the team to snigger. Annemarie picked away at her chipping nail, trying very hard not to cry again. She kept her eyes trained on the white board, making sure to avoid the eyes of the other girls.

 

“Or we could focus on our uniforms and not  _ Stephanie  _ and her lame ideas of pranks,” Liz retorted dryly, shooting a glare at the girls. They were rendered silent, looking down or around. Annemarie felt a temporary surge of gratitude at Liz’s reprimands, and for the briefest second, she could understand why Ned and Peter seemed to fawn over her so much. The moment passed, and Annemarie whispered, “I...like blue and white.”

 

Liz turned to face her, almost relieved to see her speaking. After a moment, one of the other girls shrugged, “I guess blue and white’s fine by me.”

 

There was a chorus of agreement between the girls. Finally, Liz nodded, “All right, then it’s settled, blue and white. I’ll let Coach Kane know.” She clapped her hands, “Okay, girls, let’s start practice! Up and at ‘em, we’ve got games to win!”

 

\---

 

The fliers were already on bulletin boards throughout the school, and as volleyball practice ended, Annemarie and the boys (who actually waited for her, a part of her was surprised to see them when practice finished) saw them all. Fliers advertising the first big school dance: the Halloween dance. It was on the last Friday of October, about two weeks away. It encouraged students to come in costume, so long as it was appropriate. As Annemarie read the details out loud, Ned let out a groan.

 

“I hate dances, man. No one ever goes with us and...as much as it sounds cool, I'll probably skip it.”

 

Annemarie realized this was the party Liz asked for her help on. She bit her lip, enjoyed the prospect of coming in costume. She knew just what to dress up as. But she didn't want to go without her friends. She blurted out, “We should go.”

 

When Ned and Peter glanced at her, she grinned, “Yeah! The three of us. We can go together! We can even pick costumes!”

 

She didn't relent as they looked at her, horrified. “Come on! We can sit at the table and drink punch and judge everyone's costumes. Like those reality shows!  _ Judge That Costume.  _ Besides, it'd be good for the paper! We can't afford to miss this!”

 

“I don't even have a costume…” Ned whined.

 

“That's precisely why we should go find some! The average high school student goes to 7.2 dances throughout their career.”

 

“But we aren't average high schoolers, Anne,” Ned replied, “We’re  _ losers.  _ You know how many dances they go to? None!”

 

“Who cares what everyone thinks? We should go as friends and have fun! Besides...it'd be my first dance in New York. In  _ costume _ !” Annemarie decided to play her trump card, “Besides...Liz asked me to help her plan it. She asked if we could write an article about it for the paper. And I probably could...but we'd have to go…”

 

“We should totally go then!” Ned’s eyes lit up in excitement. Peter shrugged, “Might as well. It's just one dance, right?”

 

“Great!! Now we just need to focus on costumes!”

 

It looked as if Annemarie was going to have to take up Liz’s request for help after all.

 

“Hey, Anne!” The three turned to find Liz leaving the gym, her purse in tow. She flashed a bright smile, “Great job standing up to those girls today. And great footwork! I can't wait till our first--oh, hi, guys!” she waved to Ned and Peter, who looked as if they'd seen a ghost. She narrowed her eyes at Peter, playfully pinched his arm, “ _ You.  _ You should join the decathlon again! You were  _ so  _ good!”

 

Annemarie furrowed her brow at that information, “You were in the academic decathlon?!”

 

Peter’s face was so red she compared it to that of a tomato. “Uh, uh, yeah...for a bit…”

 

“And he was  _ amazing. _ ” Liz gushed, “It's too bad you quit. You were the best!” 

 

Annemarie couldn't help but feel a strange twinge of jealousy at the fact that Peter hadn't told her that. She shook it off and proclaimed, “Um, Liz, I was thinking about helping you out for the Halloween party.”

 

Liz’s smile grew wider, “Really?! Awesome! It's really not much. I'm just going over how the gym should look and trying to extend the hours so the party lasts a little longer. And again, if you have any suggestions, I'm more than open to them!”

 

“Well, I can help. It sounds like fun.”

 

“It’ll be  _ so  _ fun! Just let me know tomorrow morning and I'll let you know what I need help on!” Liz was practically shaking with excitement, “I'm so happy you decided to help! I'll see you guys at school tomorrow!”

 

She gave one last wave before pointing to Peter, “Reconsider joining again.” She ordered before turning the corner and leaving them be. 

 

After a long pause, Ned trembled as he grabbed Annemarie’s shoulder, his voice squeaking in excitement, “She. Totally. Loves. You.”

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes, “I just agreed to help her with stuff. That's all.”

 

“ _ Anne, she totally loves you, I told you that you were our way in!”  _ Ned hugged her so tightly Annemarie thought she was going to choke. “I'm so happy you moved here! You're like our good luck charm! Lucky Anne!”

 

She giggled at Ned’s uncontrollable excitement, “It's really not a big deal, Ned.” It was then she turned to Peter, “I never knew you were in the academic decathlon…”

 

Peter looked away, “It...wasn't a big deal…”

 

“Peter! You're a genius and you  _ quit _ ?” Annemarie smacked his shoulder, “Why?”

 

He looked incredibly uncomfortable. It was then his phone pinged, and he quickly looked at it before replying, “Look, I gotta go...I'll text you guys later, okay?”

 

He responded when Annemarie hugged him, gave a high five to Ned before he hurried off in the other direction. Annemarie watched him go, Ned suddenly solemn as he said quietly, “Ever since his uncle died, he kinda withdrew for a while. But...I'm happy he's starting to come back.”

 

She felt silly for probing him then, almost insensitive for not considering the reasons why.  _ Of course. Anyone would kind of withdraw after that. _ She sighed, patted Ned’s arm, “Come on. Let's head out of here.”

 

“Gotcha.”

 

\---

 

Despite the fact that she knew Spider-Man wasn’t coming back to her window, Annemarie still found herself waiting when the clock struck ten. She sat at the edge of her bed, a sick part of her hoping that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t keep his promise to stay away this time. 

 

_ Please come.  _ She tightly closed her eyes.  _ Please let me hear those taps. Please. _

 

She waited, crossed her fingers on her lap, and when she heard a tap, her eyes snapped open, and she was running to the window, opening it--

 

It was a pigeon, who flew away startled at her sudden gesture. With sad eyes, Annemarie watched the bird fly away, landing on another distant rooftop.  _ Of course not.  _ She sighed, opened her desk drawer and reread the letter he’d left her. 

 

“Why couldn’t you at least talk to me?” she whispered to the paper. “What if I wanted you to stick around…?”

 

\---

 

Perhaps the best way to keep Spider-Man off her mind was to focus on the more important things: school, Dr. Connors’ lectures, volleyball practice (which actually wasn’t going too bad--Liz was supportive and quite an effective leader), the newspaper (with her trusty photographer sidekick Peter), and of course, the upcoming Halloween dance. Annemarie made it her personal mission for the month to make sure it was the best Halloween dance ever. She had offered floor plans to Liz, who eagerly accepted and okay-ed most of Annemarie’s ideas. With her convincing, they even got the principal to extend the party’s duration till ten o’clock (as long as parents were made aware and no one left without an adult). Now, the only thing left was to focus on costumes. Annemarie had hers perfectly planned and tailored to her. On the day before the big Halloween dance, Annemarie took it upon herself to bring her two best friends to the nearest costume shop (a pop-up seasonal shop by her apartment in Brooklyn), where she made them try on various costumes.

 

“I look ridiculous,” Ned grumbled as he stepped out in a pumpkin costume. Annemarie almost spat out her iced tea, elbowing Peter. He looked up from his phone and grinned, “Nice costume, man.”

 

Ned rolled his eyes, “Ha, ha, get it all out of your system, guys…” He huffed, “Ugh, this isn’t working, Anne. Any more bright ideas?”

 

“Try keeping it simple,” Annemarie whirled around at the sound of a new voice interrupting them. To their surprise, Michelle was standing behind the counter, reading H.P. Lovecraft. 

 

“Hey, Michelle,” Annemarie greeted, “W--what are you doing here?” Annemarie had to admit, Michelle was a bit hard to read. Sometimes, in class, she would be snarky and rude. Other times, however, she’d sit near them at lunch, throw some casual advice about something before leaving them alone. However, Annemarie didn’t consider her an enemy and always tried to be polite.

 

“I’m working here till Halloween’s over.” Michelle replied lazily, “Mainly because it gives me time to read. Here,” she pulled out a costume from under the counter, wrapped in plastic. “Sometimes the best thing you guys can do is something simple.”

 

Annemarie took it, looked over the label before handing it to Ned. He raised an eyebrow, “Dracula?” 

 

“Better than nothing,” Michelle shrugged. “Unless you want to go as yourself and bore everyone at that lame Halloween party.”

 

Ned immediately went into the fitting room to try it on, while Annemarie frowned, “Why do you say it’s gonna be lame? I helped plan it, you know!”

 

Michelle sighed, “Look, every high school party is lame. Can’t help it there.”

 

“I’m assuming you aren’t going, then.” 

 

“Oh, I’m going. Just gonna put a sheet over me and be a ghost. Nothing special.”

 

There  _ were  _ times Annemarie thought Michelle was a bit too snobby for her own good. However, instead of replying with a snippy retort, she left Michelle to her reading, turned to Peter and whispered, “What about you? Any ideas for a costume?”

 

Peter shrugged, “I dunno, nothing’s really sticking out to me…”

 

“Come on, Pete, there  _ has  _ to be one in here for you!” Annemarie tugged him up, dragged him by the arm down an aisle as her eyes appraised the costumes for men. She let out an  _ ah-ha!  _ before pulling out a clown costume.

 

Peter didn’t look amused, even though her big smile almost broke him. Annemarie put the clown costume back, tried again. “How about a mariachi singer?”

 

“You really wanna humiliate me, don’t you?”

 

“Okay, okay, sorry...hmmm…” Annemarie caught a glimpse of another one, and she yanked, found it to be a fisherman’s costume, complete with a bright orange vest. It was then her mind clicked with an idea as she looked from the costume label to Peter.

 

Peter raised an eyebrow, “I’m not going to be a fisherman, Annemarie…”

 

“Hmm, no...but with this vest, I might have an idea…” She bit her lip, remembered their last movie marathon the past Saturday. Then, she looked at Peter again. Her smile was a mile wide as she squealed, “I have the  _ best  _ idea!” She held up the fisherman costume, “I’m going to Michelle so I can buy this for you!”

 

Peter widened his eyes, “N--no, Anne, don’t spend money on me--!”

 

“--I insist! I have the perfect idea for your costume, Peter Parker, and it’s going to be amazing!” Annemarie ran down the aisle, practically threw the fisherman costume on the counter, causing Michelle to start as she looked up from her book once again. Michelle took one look at the costume and raised an eyebrow, “You’re gonna make Parker be a fishsticks salesman?”

 

“Something better,” Annemarie gushed, “how much do I owe you?”

 

Michelle gave an unimpressed  _ hmph  _ and rang up the costume, “That’ll be sixteen sixty-five.”

 

She was thankful Adam let her borrow money. With a satisfied smirk, Annemarie handed Michelle a twenty just as Peter hurried up the aisle, insisting he would pay for it himself. He groaned as Michelle handed Annemarie her change and the bag. “I owe you,” he said just as Ned burst out of the fitting room in his costume.

 

“You don’t owe me a thing,” Annemarie chirped, “I’ve got the perfect costume for you, and we’re going to make sure tomorrow night we have the best costumes ever!”

 

“Guys?” Ned held out his arms in full Dracula garb, “How do I look?”

 

Annemarie studied him, grinned and proclaimed, “Delightfully wicked! I say buy it!”

 

Peter dug into his pocket, found a twenty and handed it to Annemarie, who smacked his hand away just as Ned sighed in relief, “At least I won’t look stupid. I’m gonna go change and we’ll buy this one.”

 

“Annemarieeeeee,” Peter whined, “take the moneyyyy.”

 

“Nooooooo.” Annemarie teased, winking at him, “Don’t worry about it! Your costume’s gonna be great!”

 

“Wait, you found Peter’s costume?” Ned asked, “What is it?”

 

Without a word, Annemarie held up the fisherman costume. Ned looked from the wrapper to Peter, to Annemarie’s excited grin, and his eyes lit up in understanding as he proclaimed, “That. Is. Freaking. Perfect.”

 

“Wait, what? What is it?” Peter blinked, confused. 

 

Annemarie leaned in, whispered in his ear. Needless to say, Peter was more than happy with her suggestion.

 

\---

 

The school was already bustling with students in costume, meeting up with their friends and gushing about their costumes. Annemarie remained in the front passenger’s seat, seatbelt still on by the time Adam pulled up to the school.

 

“You gonna be okay?” He asked, looking outside for any familiar faces. “I’m not gonna leave until you see your weirdo friends.”

 

Annemarie bit her lip, looked around. She didn’t see Ned or Peter yet. She hoped they wouldn’t be late. “I don’t see them yet…”

 

Adam groaned, his fingers tapping the steering wheel, “They’d better not leave you hanging. I’ve got a date tonight.”

 

Annemarie couldn’t ignore the pang of loneliness and hurt at his words. She folded her hands on her lap, looked at her nails, painted light blue to match her costume. “I could always wait by the school. I’m sure they’ll be here soon,” she whispered.

 

“No, I’m not leaving you alone,” Adam muttered, “Besides, Mom would kill me and I don’t want to die at twenty-one, no sirree.”

 

“I can always cover for you. I don’t wanna be a burden to you,” Annemarie bitterly snapped.

 

Adam turned to her, eyebrow raised, “You’re not a burden to me, Anne, what the hell?”

 

“You never seem to have time for me, and even when you  _ are  _ stuck with me, you always want to leave,” Annemarie replied, looking down at her boots. “Dad was right,” she hated mentioning it, but it left a bitter taste in her mouth, “we were gonna drift apart eventually.”

 

“Hey, listen to me,” Adam turned off the car, faced her. At the sound of his serious tone, Annemarie slowly looked up to meet his eyes. His dark eyes were remorseful, but full of conviction as he proclaimed, “You are never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,  _ ever  _ any type of burden to me. You never  _ have  _ been, and you never  _ will  _ be. I know I’ve been busy. And I’m sorry I haven’t been making time for you. You just...you’ve got your new friends, and I don’t wanna ruin that for you, you know?”

 

“I don’t wanna rely on you all the time,” Annemarie mumbled, “it’s always been you and me when it came to hanging out. But...I don’t want us to drift apart, either.”

 

“We’re never going to drift apart. I don’t care if you tell me you never wanna see my ugly face again, I’m gonna pop up at your window every Christmas with my face smushed against the glass.” Annemarie giggled at that, and he continued, “I just want you to be happy, Anne. I want you to be  _ you. _ ”

 

“So...you aren’t tired of me?” She asked.

 

“Never. You aren’t sick of me, are you?”

 

“Nope. Not yet.” She giggled.

 

“Seriously, if you need me, you call me. You know I’ll come get you if anything.” Adam suddenly looked up, out the window on her side, “Hey, I see your friends. The big guy and the nerdy one?”

 

Annemarie turned, gasped in excitement at the sight of Ned and Peter in front of the school. Ned looked adorable in his Dracula costume, and when he tried scaring a girl with his vampire fangs, they jumped and squealed and ran away. Beside him, Peter stuffed his hands in his pockets, wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, white sneakers, and the bright orange vest from the fisherman costume. His hair was perfectly messy and he looked oddly comfortable in his getup.

 

“Who’s your nerdy friend supposed to be?” Adam asked, “I mean, I get the Dracula, but what about Pablo?”

 

“ _ Peter _ ,” Annemarie corrected, smiling proudly, “And he’s Marty McFly! You know, from  _ Back to the Future!  _ Doesn’t he look  _ great _ ?”

 

He nodded in approval just as she punched his shoulder, “I’ll call you when I’m done! Later pizza roll!”

 

“Bye, dumpling,” he called out just as she burst out of the car and slammed the door shut, eagerly running to her friends. “Guys!” she called to get their attention, hugging them both just as they noticed her. 

 

“Hey, Anne!” Ned greeted, only for him to frown at Annemarie’s costume: brown boots underneath a swishing, light blue dress, and her hair in a braid, tied by a dark blue ribbon. “Who are you supposed to be?” He asked.

 

She held out her arms, twirled, “Can’t you tell? I’m Wendy Darling, from  _ Peter Pan _ !”

 

Peter’s heart leapt to his throat as he watched her twirl. Of course she’d be Wendy Darling. It didn’t help she looked cute in her dress, practically trembling in excitement. She  _ did _ look pretty. He tried very hard not to care too much about that. Annemarie turned, waved happily to her brother as he began pulling out, “Bye, Adam! I’ll call you!”

 

He waved back before rolling down the window, “You losers keep an eye on my sister!” He called out.

 

“Yessir,” Ned and Peter mumbled nervously as Adam drove off. Annemarie grabbed both their arms, proud as she said, “Come on, guys! We’re gonna have an amazing time tonight!”

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Ned whispered, “Everyone’s gonna think we’re losers! Why couldn’t we just be in cool costumes?”

 

“We are in cool costumes! Like I said, we can have some punch and judge everyone else’s costumes! Look, check out Eugene! He’s a banana! How  _ unoriginal _ ,” she spoke in a posh British accent, causing Ned to snort and laugh and Peter to chuckle as they walked past Flash Thompson, too busy making banana puns to notice them.

 

As soon as they entered the gymnasium (a haunted house motif, complete with fake cobwebs and old looking candelabras), they spotted Liz, eagerly talking with her friends dressed as Glinda the Good Witch, perfectly pretty in her huge pink dress and magic wand. Peter’s heart skipped another beat.  _ She looks amazing.  _

 

Liz just happened to glance their way, eagerly waved before approaching them, “Hi, guys!” She exclaimed as the loud music rang through the gym, “You all look  _ so  _ cute!” She cutely bit her lip, pointed to each of them as she tried to guess who was who. She went to Ned first, “Dracula definitely...hmm…”

 

“I’m Wendy Darling,” Annemarie proclaimed, twirling again. “And Peter is Marty McFly!”

 

Peter gave an awkward wave before looking down at the floor.

 

“ _ So  _ cute!” Liz gushed, “You guys totally need to go out there and dance! This party is going to be amazing!”

 

Something stirred within Annemarie, an excitement she never quite felt before as the music changed to something far more upbeat. Perhaps she could have fun. Actually  _ be  _ with friends and not worry about locked doors and loneliness and Spider-Man. She tugged at the boys, “Come on! Let’s dance!”

 

“Do we  _ have _ to…?” Ned groaned as she tugged them to the dance floor. Liz giggled and waved goodbye just as Annemarie began to move with the music, yelling out, “Come on guys! Loosen up a bit!”

 

After an awkward few songs of Ned and Peter barely moving, they finally loosened up once Annemarie continued dancing, her infectious energy finally rubbing off on them. By the time a fourth upbeat song played, all three of them were laughing and dancing the night away, complete with each of them trying to make the other two laugh by doing a ridiculous dance move.

 

Just as Ned did the twosies with crossed eyes, the upbeat song changed to a slower one, one ideal for couples. Annemarie whispered, “I  _ love  _ this song…”

 

Ned held up his hands, breathless, “I’m sitting this one out. One, I don’t have a girlfriend. Two, I’m  _ exhausted.  _ I’ll be by the punch table, guys, okay?”

 

“We’ll meet you there!” Annemarie nodded as Ned shuffled off. She turned to Peter, who was gazing at Liz with longing eyes as she danced with Flash Thompson. “You wanted to dance with her, didn’t you?” she asked, the excitement of the party causing her words to flow effortlessly out of her mouth. 

 

He jumped, as if only just realizing she was there, before sighing and shrugging, “She wouldn’t wanna dance with me.” He mumbled.

 

“Peter Parker, don’t say that about yourself! I’m sure she would dance with you!” 

 

“She’s already with Flash,” he shrugged again, “there’s no point.”

 

He looked so somber, so disappointed that Annemarie couldn’t help feeling for him. Suddenly, an unexpected idea came to her as she blurted out, “ _ I’ll  _ dance with you.”

 

Her words surprised them both, and they let out high-pitched yelps before turning to face each other, eyes wide. “Um, what I meant was--I wouldn’t care about what anyone says or does, I--I’d dance with you no matter what!” Annemarie rambled, “B--because we’re friends, you know?!?!”

 

“Y--yeah, totally!” Peter agreed, his cheeks redder than beets. 

 

“That isn’t weird, right?’

 

“No, no! No, it’s not weird at all! I’d--I’d dance with you, too!”

 

There was an awkward pause before Peter swallowed his nerves, asked quietly, “So...um...d’you wanna dance like...right now?”

 

There was something in his sweet, innocent inquiry that made Annemarie’s heart skip a beat, and goosebumps travel up her arms. However, she nodded, “S--sure...y’know, ‘cause we’re friends…”

 

“Y--yeah, besides we can’t just stand here--!”

 

“--no, no, that’d be stupid…”

 

She faced him, wrapped her arms around his neck, looking down nervously at her feet. Peter kept his hands at her waist, also looked awkwardly at his feet as they began to sway to the music. The song was halfway over, but it didn’t matter. Annemarie bit her lip before chancing a look at Peter, who happened to also look up. When their eyes met, Annemarie felt oddly at ease all of a sudden. It was just Peter. The boy who helped open her locker on her first day at school. The boy who lent her a pencil that first day in class. The boy who offered her a seat with him and Ned at lunch. She gave a small smile, perhaps to reassure him, or herself, she wasn’t sure. 

 

When he smiled back, however, her heart gave a strange flutter.  _ What’s going on? _

 

Just before she could overthink it, however, the music changed, once again to something a bit more upbeat. Immediately the spell was broken, and Annemarie backed away, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. She cleared her throat, tried to change the mood, “Er, um, I’m parched. What do you say we get some punch?”

 

“That sounds good...I’m pretty, uh, thirsty too…”

 

They both began heading towards the punch table, where they spotted a smirking Ned tapping away at his phone.

 

\---

 

It was quite the fun night, and by the time Adam drove her home, Annemarie was exhausted. It was a good exhausted, though. Her heart wasn’t so heavy and she felt as if she were flying. She had a wonderful time at her first school dance, and with her friends no doubt.  _ Friends.  _ The word made her smile as she mumbled her goodnights to her family before locking her bedroom door to change out of her costume and get ready for bed.

 

She thought she was hallucinating when she first heard it. 

 

_ Tap, tap, tap. _

 

She ignored it, knowing it was her silly, girlish fantasies. She untied her hair and it fell in waves down her back as she pulled out her pajamas from her dresser. 

 

_ Taptaptap! _

 

She froze, knowing she wasn’t going insane. Her heart began pounding in her ears, and suddenly, she wondered. Waited.  _ Hoped.  _

 

_ Taptaptaptap! _

 

She ran to the window.  _ It can’t be....  _

 

And she mentally counted to three before yanking the curtains open.

 

It was him.

 

_ It was him. _

 

She unlatched her window, pulled it open, her eyes wide. “W--what are you doing here?” she gasped out. 

 

He held out a hand, appraised her for the briefest of moments before saying, “Come on. I wanna show you something.”

 

She almost wanted to say no. Yell at him about his stupid, hurtful letter and how he couldn’t just swoop in and appear whenever he wanted. Instead, her foolish heart spoke for her, “W--where?”

 

“Trust me.”

 

She didn’t move, merely watched his outstretched palm.

 

“C’mon, Wendy,” her heart stopped at his nickname as he wiggled his fingers, waiting, “afraid of a little adventure?”

 

That snapped her out of it, and she grabbed his hand, trying very hard not to tremble when his fingers intertwined with her own.


	20. Stand Still

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo this chapter needed to be split in half because A LOT was going on. I'm sorry for the slowness of these two lovelies, everyone. Please bear with the slow burn. Homecoming was fantastic and I love it so much. 
> 
> However, because certain plot elements from Homecoming will start ebbing into the next chapter, I will put a spoiler alert. If you have NOT seen Homecoming at this point, you shouldn't read past this chapter. I'm sure most of us have seen that amazing movie, but I definitely want to be considerate to anyone who has yet to see it. 
> 
> Plenty of Petemarie scenes in this chapter, though, so hope y'all enjoy. :3

“Easy,” he murmured, so quiet she almost didn’t hear him as he gently pulled her onto her fire escape. Despite her heart soaring and goosebumps forming on her skin at his touch, Annemarie felt a temporary surge of hesitation. “W--wait...I can’t be out all night, my mom and my brother will--!”

 

“--we’re not going to be gone for long.” He replied, “I just wanna show you something.”

 

“W--why?”

 

He faced her, the goggles focusing on her as he held her hands in both of his. “Do you trust me?” He asked.

 

The initial shock was beginning to wear off, and Annemarie found herself shaking her head, “No. N--no, I don’t...I don’t _understand._ You left me a letter telling me you’re never going to see me again, only to just pop up when you feel like it? And you’re telling me you’re going to take me somewhere, _away_ from my home like--?!”

 

“--Annemarie. Listen to me.” He blurted out. She grew silent, waiting expectantly. His thumbs rubbed the soft skin on her knuckles. “I know I let you down. And--and you probably don’t want to see me right now. I just...I saw something amazing, and I…” He lowered his head, “...I thought about you, and how you’d love to see it as much as I do. I’d never let anything bad happen to you. Just...please trust me.”

 

She sighed, looked down at their hands. “You can’t just disappear on me like that,” she whispered, “You can’t swing into my life and change it forever only to just...go away…”

 

“I...I know...b--but I want you to be safe. The life I have now...I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

 

“You just said you’d never let anything bad happen to me.”

 

“I know. I mean that.”

 

“Well,” Annemarie frowned, “if that’s really true, I won’t get hurt, now will I?”

 

He sighed, didn’t reply. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her close. She fought the urge to blush, and he mumbled, “Hold on, okay?”

 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, “W--wait--I never said we could--!”

 

He already shot out a web, and they were swinging before she could complete her sentence. Annemarie let out a yelp, closing her eyes and burying her face into his sweater. She’d already seen a glimpse of the streets below them, _way_ too far away from their feet for comfort, and she was petrified, kept a tight hold on him as they swung. Her legs swayed with his, and she felt like a rag doll.

 

“Don’t be scared,” he reassured her, “I’m not going to drop you!”

 

“The whole world is spinning and I don’t want to see! How do you manage this every single day?!”

 

He chuckled, “Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon!”

 

Sure enough, he kept to his word, by the time the swinging stopped and Annemarie felt her feet touch a solid surface, she sunk to her knees and held up her hands. “I’m not sure how you do this, but _I’m so happy I’m on solid ground._ ” She whispered, opening her eyes to find him staring at her as he remained crouched by the edge of some roof.

 

He chuckled once more, “Afraid of heights?”

 

“A little. Like any average person…” she slowly rose, dusted herself off as she took in where they were: a dirty, beaten up rooftop, perhaps an old warehouse. She furrowed her brow, “Where exactly are we?”

 

He suddenly moved, practically bouncing as he suddenly went behind her, covering her eyes. “Don’t look yet,” he whispered in her ear, “Just...follow me. Wait for it…”

 

“Spidey…”

 

“I promise, it’s totally worth it!” She felt him guide her, and then he stopped her, “Okay...okay... _now._ ”

 

He uncovered her eyes, and Annemarie gasped at the glorious view. Across the river, in a pool of life and lights, was Manhattan. The moon was full, and though there were few stars, Annemarie found the sight beautiful. “I...I’ve never seen the city like this before…”

 

“I thought it was a pretty awesome view.” He muttered, oddly shy all of a sudden, “I...I thought maybe you’d find it awesome, too…”

 

She felt a rush of affection, the vulnerability of the late hour making her turn to him, hugging him. He let out a surprised sound, but nevertheless she felt elated when he hugged her back.

 

“I missed you,” she freely admitted, “thank you. For thinking of me.”

 

He stroked her hair, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

 

“I know you’re just looking out for me. But...I wanna look out for you, too,” Annemarie admitted, “You...you seem so...alone.”

 

He didn’t reply, merely pulled away. However, his fingers remained intertwined with hers. “So, you like the sight?” he changed the subject, and by the tone of his voice she could tell he was smiling. Annemarie tried very hard not to feel the butterflies in her stomach at how he held her hand. She opted to answer, smiling, “Yeah. I love it. It’s beautiful. So, stop any Halloween crimes tonight?”

 

He shrugged, “I helped a few trick-or-treaters get some kickass candy.”

 

“Oh, my,” she teased, “how daring of you.”

 

“Daring _and_ brave.” He pulled out a half-eaten bag of gummy worms from his pocket, “Here, I saved you some. You like gummy worms, right?”

 

Her mouth watered, and she grabbed the bag, already stuffing worms in her mouth.

 

“I’ll...take that as a yes...by the way, cute costume. Lemme guess, Wendy Darling?”

 

And there went her cheeks, heating up at his words. “Y--yeah. I went to a Halloween dance at school today.” It was then she thought about Peter, and her cheeks heated up even more. “I went with my friends. I...had a nice time.”

 

“I’m glad. Anything interesting happen?”

 

She felt almost guilty all of a sudden, shrugging, “I danced with my friend, Peter.” She didn’t see him flinch at her words. “It...it was nice.”

 

“P--Peter? Who’s Peter?” His voice oddly cracked, but it went over her head as she continued, “We’re just friends...he’s...actually, he was one of the first people I met when I moved here...he’s really smart, and really nice...he gets beat up a lot, though.” She frowned, met the goggles, “Look, if you ever see him...just keep an eye on him? He’s got messy brown hair, dark eyes, wears tennis shoes a lot, _really_ cute.” She widened her eyes, squeaked as she covered her mouth with her free hand. _What did I just say?!?!?_

 

“Y--you think he’s cute?!” Spider-Man yelped, and Annemarie quickly backpedaled, “N--no, what I meant was--like, for a guy, he’s...not ugly, you know?”

 

 _Not ugly. That’s a start, Parker._ “I...I see.”

 

“Not nearly as cute as you, though,” Annemarie said quickly. The last thing she needed was to talk about another guy while holding his hand, “even though I’ve never seen your face...I know you must be adorable, Spidey,” she smiled shyly.

 

“Uh...well, uh...thanks…” He looked away, clearing his throat.

 

She never wanted this moment to end. Annemarie squeezed his hand, bringing his attention back to her. “I’m...I’m happy I’m here with you,” she admitted, “...but...I want to know something.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Is this some...last farewell thing?” She held up the bag of gummies, “This candy...taking me to this wonderful place...don’t tell me you’re gonna disappear again.”

 

“N--no, I’m…” he sighed. “I...I know what I did was really crappy. But...I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately,” _the butterflies went crazy in her belly,_ “I just...I couldn’t really take it anymore. I wanted to see you--y’know, to...check on you and stuff.”

 

“I don’t want you to stay away, Spidey,” she whispered, “Please don’t go away again. I...I’ve never really opened up to anyone like I’ve opened up to you.”

 

He paused, squeezed her hand, “I...I’ve never really talked to anyone about all this, either. I...I don’t want to stay away from you.”

 

Her heart leapt at his words. _Does...does he like me?_ “Then don’t.” She murmured. His gaze snapped to hers. He was so close. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she slowly reached up, reaching for the bottom of his mask--

 

\--he grabbed her free hand, shook his head, “Whoa, easy there...one thing at a time, eh?” He laughed, albeit more nervous than amused.

 

 _So close._ She deflated, nodded as she swallowed the lump in her throat. It was then she realized, “I...I need to go home. I’ve got to get up early tomorrow.”

 

“Is that so? How ‘bout a first class swing through Brooklyn with your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?” He offered a hand, did a silly bow, “I’ll take you anywhere you wish to go, m’lady.”

 

“And how much does the Spider-Man charge?” She teased, “I’m afraid I haven’t any money.”

 

“A bag of gummy worms shall suffice, m’lady! For my next visit!”

 

Her grin was a mile wide, “Next visit?”

 

“Yeah! I mean, if you’re free tomorrow night…”

 

“I am! I’m totally free!” She blurted out, silently cursing herself for sounding far too eager. “So, um...cool.” She added for good measure.

 

He beckoned, “Come on. You need me to take you home, right?”

 

“Oh, um...right!” She moved, wrapped her arms around him once more,  buried her face in his neck and didn’t open her eyes until they were back on her fire escape.

 

Annemarie hesitated as she looked inside her window, to her bedroom. Her mother and Adam were asleep, that she knew. Everything seemed so boring, so mundane now. She absently wished that tonight would last forever. She hoped she hadn’t imagined any of it. Or dreamt it. She pinched herself discreetly before turning to face the masked boy.

 

“I’m really happy you’re back,” she admitted, “I’ll...I’ll be waiting tomorrow.”

 

“I won’t keep you waiting long,” he said quietly.

 

She bit her lip before chancing another hug, thrilled when he didn’t pull away. “Bye, Spidey,” she mumbled, “see you soon.”

 

“Later, cutie.”

 

\---

 

Saturday morning was spent with Wendy reading the morning paper, Adam grumbling through his breakfast, and Annemarie dreamily stirring away at her cereal, watching the corn flakes get soggy in her milk as she thought about the night before. Her spoon clinked away in her bowl, and as everything swirled in her bowl Annemarie could only replay the events that occurred, only rewinding at every sweet thing Spider-Man said to her. Her cheeks felt hot, and her skin tingled. She had texted Peter as soon as she woke up, _you won’t BELIEVE what happened last night. Hmu when you’re up! Anne xo_

 

“Sweetie, you aren’t eating your breakfast,” Wendy remarked, looking up from the paper as she frowned, “It’s gonna get soggy…”

 

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Annemarie replied, still stirring away, “I’m...I’ll finish, I swear.”

 

She continued stirring, only to stop when she found her mother worriedly watching her. Annemarie rolled her eyes, smiled, “Mom, I’m fine. I just...I slept great last night!”

 

“Well, that’s good...I just wish you’d eat, sweetie…”

 

“I am!” Annemarie shoved a spoonful of soggy cereal in her mouth, tried not to wince at the texture as she swallowed. “See?” She spoke after forcing herself to swallow.

 

“Have sweet dreams about a Spider kid?” Adam raised an eyebrow.

 

Annemarie shot him a look, “ _No._ I just...I had a very restful eight hours of sleep.”

 

“Well, I’m happy you slept well...oh, how was the Halloween dance last night? You told me you danced with someone?” Wendy raised an eyebrow.

 

“O--oh, just Peter! He--didn’t have anyone to dance with, soooo…”

 

“So Pablo’s your new boyfriend, hmm?” Adam teased, “Ooh, look at you blushing!” He pointed, laughed.

 

Annemarie’s cheeks heated up for an entirely different reason, “Shut up! Peter and I are just friends!”

 

“You danced?” Wendy grinned, “How sweet! You haven’t brought him over yet! Is he cute?”

 

“ _Mom,_ oh my _God,_ ” Annemarie buried her face in her hands, “Peter is...we’re literally just friends!”

 

“Oh, so no more Spidey, eh?” Adam teased.

 

Annemarie frowned, immediately changed the subject, “I’m going to be late for Dr. Connors’ lecture! I should get going! Love you both!”

 

She got up, kissed her mother goodbye, ran past Adam and ruffled his already messy bedhead before running out the apartment.

 

\---

 

He told himself he wasn't going to see her as his alter-ego anymore. Nevertheless, the more time he spent with her as Peter Parker, the more she proved time and time again that she could be trusted. And yeah, maybe the loneliness was getting to him. Either way, Peter felt as if he had to tell _someone,_ and Annemarie was that someone. And yeah, she was cute. She looked cute in her hat. She looked especially pretty dressed as Wendy Darling.

 

And with that beautiful view of the city, he couldn't think of anyone else to show it to.

 

Well, maybe Liz. But that wasn't in the cards. He sighed as he looked at his phone, at Annemarie’s text message. Even in text, she was as bubbly and cheerful as ever. He hastily wrote a reply, _just got up. What's up?_

 

Her reply was instantaneous, _he came back last night! You know who! He took me to this place where you get a great view of the city!_

 

All he had to do was act surprised. _Wow really?? did he tell u what changed his mind??_

 

_He said he couldn’t stop thinking about me. Maybe he’s lonely? I mean he doesn’t seem like the type to just talk about his problems to anyone._

 

He sighed again, collapsed into his bed, thought briefly about his reply before typing, _maybe. What are you up to now??_

 

_Crashing a college course because i understand it better than my brother does. Someone needs to make sure he’s successful, might as well be me._

 

He grinned at that, absently found himself excited at the prospect of seeing her later in the night. Maybe he could ask her about it. Lead up to the topic, find out more about her. _Nice. you and your bro must be close._

 

_We are. He’s my best friend. He’s a loser about eighty-eight percent of the time though. What r u doing?_

 

 _Just studying,_ he lied, staring up at his bedroom ceiling. After a pause, he picked up his phone when it vibrated once more.

 

_You should join the decathlon again._

 

_Why’s that??_

 

_Because you’re really smart and i think if u joined again midtown could win the nationals this year. Plus, i need to go to something to support you if you’re going to my volleyball games. ;3_

 

_You can always support me in chemistry._

 

_That doesn’t count! I think u should join again! U don’t wanna spend ur life thinking ‘what if’ right?? plz don’t sell urself short, pete._

 

“She’s using my own advice against me…” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. After taking a deep breath, he wrote back,

 

_i’ll think about it ok?_

 

_it’d better be a yes!_

 

\---

 

Throughout the entirety of the day, Annemarie was too busy doing two things: texting Peter Parker and counting down the hours left until she was alone with Spider-Man once again. When her day soared past and ten o’clock arrived, she practically flew to her window when she heard those telltale taps. The smile tugged at her lips when she opened her window and he effortlessly somersaulted into her room. Once he was on his feet, she hugged him, taking in his scent. “Spidey!”

 

He chuckled, hugged her back as he stroked her hair, “Hey, cutie.”

 

She pulled away, hurried to lock her door. Once she did, she turned to him, pressed a finger to her lips and shushed, causing him to chuckle again. She immediately offered him her desk chair, where he sat and began spinning around in it. She curled up in her bed, hugging her stuffed bunny to her as she asked, “How are you?”

 

He shrugged, “Stopped a guy from robbing this old lady’s purse. I helped another old lady get to Broadway by giving her directions and she bought me a hot dog. I also stopped a car thief.” He rested both hands behind his head, kicked up his feet on her desk. He looked so at ease as he proclaimed, “All in a day’s work.”

 

“I hope you don’t dirty my desk.” She teased, pointing to his feet.

 

“I’ll have you know they’re as clean as can be in the concrete jungle of New York City.”

 

She giggled, fondly watched him. It was then she bit her lip, blurted out, “Don’t be mad at what I’m about to tell you, okay?”

 

He looked at her, the goggles narrowing in focus. “What’s up?”

 

“My friend, Peter...he knows about you coming to see me,” She nervously twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, not looking at him, “I told him when I thought you weren’t ever coming back. I’m...sorry, but I couldn’t keep it all in. And...I trust Peter. He would never tell anyone. I just...I wanted to be honest with you.”

 

She chanced a look, surprised to find he hadn’t reacted. Instead, he nodded, “Well...uh...if you trust this Peter kid...I’ll trust he won’t tell anyone.”

 

“You’re not mad at me?”

 

“Nah. It’s good to have someone you can rely on.”

 

She sighed, “I’m so relieved...I thought you’d hate me forever.”

 

“Why would I hate you forever? You’re too cute to hate.”

 

 _Why does he always say the sweetest things?_ “I’m...I’m glad you think so.”

 

“So, c’mon, tell me about _your_ day,” he looked up at her ceiling again, at the glow-in-the-dark stars she had pasted up there.

 

Annemarie groaned, “My day is _so_ boring compared to yours. You save people and stop old ladies. I just crashed a college course with _the_ legendary Dr. Curt Connors.”

 

He had to pretend as if this was new information to him. “Uh--wow, _the_ Curt Connors, eh?”

 

“You _know_ him?!” she gasped, her eyes shining in excitement, “He teaches animal biology at my brother’s university! Granted, Adam doesn’t quite understand the teachings. But...I do, so Dr. Connors was generous enough to let me crash his Saturday classes so I can help Adam pass! I provide more detailed notes and direct him to many of Connors’ documentaries!”

 

“Wow, all that for your brother? You must be pretty close to him.”

 

Annemarie nodded, “Adam’s my best friend. He practically helped raise me. We have a six year age difference but I can’t imagine my life without him. Granted, he’s a loser most of the time, but he’s the best brother I could ever ask for.”

 

“Yeah?” He sounded as if he were smiling, “That sounds pretty nice.”

 

“He’s...partially the reason I decided to move to New York.” She admitted quietly, fiddling with her stuffed rabbit’s ear. “When...when he got accepted to school here, he was _so_ excited. He wanted to go to New York so badly to study. But...I never lived without my brother before. I didn’t want to live with my parents without Adam. We always hung out together, you know? He always used to make time for me…so when Mom got the job offer she wanted, it was like a dream come true.”

 

“You didn’t want to live with your dad?” Spider-Man asked, tilting his head to one side, “You...never seem to mention him much.”

 

“He works a lot, so it would’ve been like living alone,” she choked out, not meeting his eyes, “besides...me and my dad don’t really get along.”

 

 _This_ was new information. “Why not?”

 

“Our personalities just...don’t mesh,” she shook her head, her shoulders moving up to her ears. “I mean...once he finishes his project in Cali, he’s hoping he can come live with us...but he hates big cities...so if he stays, it’ll be rough. But we’d at least have a place to visit every summer. I...think it’d be better for all of us…”

 

She clearly seemed uncomfortable. The way she fidgeted, the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes...he opted to change the subject, “So what else did you do today?”

 

“That’s about it. I’m pretty boring, Spidey.”

 

“You’re the farthest thing from boring, Annemarie. I think you’re pretty awesome.”

 

She swore her cheeks were going to burn off, “....really? You’re...you’re not just saying that?”

 

“No, you _are_ awesome! I think it’s cool how you’re crashing a college course just to help your brother out!”

 

 _He thinks I’m awesome,_ her heart soared as she bit her lip, “I’m not nearly as awesome as you…” she replied shyly. “I mean, you have these amazing superpowers, and you’re using them for good! We need more people like you around, Spidey. Speaking of...I’ve told you a fact about meeeee,” she sang, “Guess what _that_ means!”

 

“It’s late and I have to go?” He teased, getting a pink bunny thrown at his face as a response. He effortlessly caught it, flinging it back in her direction. She squeaked as she caught it before it could hit her face. He sighed, paused in thought before he asked, “What do you want to know?”

 

She started. He’d never asked what she wanted to know before. He always said a random fact and moved from there. She bit her lip, “Well, the first thing is your face, but I’m guessing that’s not an option?”  


He didn’t respond, merely crossed his arms.

 

“Okay, okay, not that then...ummm...what...what exactly made you want to do this? Like, being a hero and all.”

 

There was a long pause as he took in her question. He let out a shuddering, drawn-out sigh, lowered his head as he quietly admitted, “I couldn’t save someone.”

 

Annemarie frowned, “Who? W--what do you mean by that?”

 

His fingers tapped incessantly on the arm of her chair. It was another long pause before he spoke again,  “I...when you can do what I can do...and you don’t... _do_ something--and something bad happens...it’s _your_ fault, you know?”

 

He seemed so sad, so solemn. Concerned, she moved now, knelt in front of him as she reached for his hands. When he met her eyes, she whispered, “What happened?” Her thumbs brushed the fabric of his gloves, “Please tell me.”

 

He regarded her for a long, tense moment, perhaps waging war with himself on whether or not to tell her the truth. His thumbs rubbed that spot between her thumb and index fingers, and he took a deep breath before he whispered,

 

“See...the thing is--!”

 

The spell between them was broken when there was a sudden, thunderous knock at her bedroom door. Panic filled her as she stood, tugging him up with her.

 

“Anne of Green Gables! Open up!” It was Adam, and he sounded excited. “Come on, it’s important!”

 

She looked to Spider-Man, her eyes wide, “You need to hide,” she whispered.

 

“I could always just--!”

 

She wasn’t hearing him leave just yet. With a fierce tug, Annemarie yanked him across her room, opening her closet door and practically throwing him inside before slamming it shut. She hurried to her bedroom door, unlatching and opening it a crack.

 

Adam stood before her in his red flannel pajamas, cell phone to his ear as he furrowed his brow, “...Who’re you talking to?”

 

Annemarie blinked, responded quickly, “Myself. I...was giving myself a pep talk. For...the upcoming week.”

 

Adam frowned, “Oooookayyyyy...” He grinned suddenly, held out his phone, “Guess who’s on the phone!”

 

Annemarie took a glance at the screen before it went black, and she felt a pit in her stomach form as she saw the word _Dad._ Adam was beaming, “Come on, he wants to talk to you! I’ve already told him everything about me!”

 

She wanted to say no. She wanted to be left alone. But, seeing Adam so excited made her feel almost guilty, and she took the phone, pressed it to her ear. “Hi, Dad.”

 

“Annie! There’s the apple of my eye! How are ya?” He was excited, happy as usual, but Annemarie only felt tense. She swallowed the lump in her throat, gave a tight-lipped smile, deciding to keep her answers vague and brief. “I’m good, Dad. Just finished studying.”

 

“Always studying! You always work so hard,” he replied fondly, “how’s school going? Made any new friends?”

 

“Yeah, a few.”

 

“Adam told me you’ve got yourself in some clubs there.”

 

She shot a brief glance at Adam before replying, “Y--yeah, just two. Keeps me busy.”

 

“Well that’s good, Annie. I’m really proud of you.”

 

She took a deep breath, “Sure. How’s work?”

 

“Can’t complain, can’t complain. I’m almost done here, hopefully if nothing goes wrong. I was talking to Mom, I’m hoping to visit you guys next weekend. Maybe you and Adam could show me around New York, huh?”

 

She was already mentally making other plans, “Yeah, yeah, we’ll see.”

 

“Well, you get some rest, I know it’s late over there. Sleep tight, okay? Love you.”

 

“Bye, Daddy.” She quickly handed the phone back to Adam, where he continued gabbing away as he walked back to his own room, oblivious to her tense demeanor. She slowly closed and locked her bedroom door again, leaned against it and rested a hand over her racing heart. She wasn’t even sure _why_ she felt so tense and anxious. She closed her eyes, hated how she heard the final resounding _click_ of her lock still, hated how she felt numb to everything around her. The last thing she wanted to remember now was a locked door.

 

_Click._

 

She buried her face in her hands, found herself unable to stop her racing heart, or her quick breaths. She slid down to the floor just as the closet door hesitantly creaked open.

 

_Click._

 

“Hey.” A voice sounded from far away. She mentally counted to ten, remembered everything she had been taught, the things she had read about these moments. She started when she felt hands on her arms, taking her hands and gently pulling them away from her face. When she met the goggles of Spider-Man, she swallowed.

 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with worry.

 

And suddenly she was back in her bedroom, and she no longer heard the _click_ of a lock. She was with Spider-Man, and she was breathing normally again.

 

“N--nothing,” she said quickly, offering a smile, “I...I’m just tired, that’s all.”

 

The goggles narrowed their focus and he tilted his head to one side, “Okay. Want me to go?”

 

“No,” she reached for his arm, “you weren’t finished telling me about you…”

 

“Next time, okay? You _do_ look pretty swamped…” He seemed to notice her deflate, and he added, “I owe you _two_ secrets next visit, how about that?”

 

She smiled then, “I still owe you gummy worms.”

 

“That you do, madam!” He teased as he crossed the room and began climbing out of her window. Annemarie giggled as she followed him onto her fire escape.

 

“Be careful, Spidey, okay?” she whispered.

 

He turned around then, hugged her tightly, “I’ll be fine. You stay out of danger, okay?”

 

She closed her eyes, took in his scent, tried to embed into her mind the feeling of immense safety in his arms. “I will. Till next time, Spidey.”

 

“Later, cutie.” He pulled away, and in another instant, he was off and she was watching him go, missing him already.


	21. Impulse Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for the slow update, everyone! A lot has happened. I got promoted at work, so I've got way more hours and less time to write. Plus, my anxiety and depression have kicked in quite a bit, draining whatever willpower I had to write at all. But here we are, latest update! Plenty of Petemarie to go around, and well...a bit of angst. You've been warned. Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter, and thanks for holding on and being so lovely and patient!

Annemarie knew something was up the moment she walked to her locker to already find Ned waiting for her. The minute he looked up from his phone, he grinned, a sly, devilish grin. She furrowed her brow as she began fiddling with the combination lock. “Good morning? What's got you so chipper today?” She asked.

 

Ned sighed dramatically, “Oh, nothing. Just a sweet little movie I found.”

 

She glanced at him, assuming the worst, “Oh,  _ ew.  _ Do I wanna know about this?” She cringed.

 

“Check it out.” Ned held up his phone, and Annemarie squinted under the glare of the lights to find familiar footage of her and Peter dancing during Halloween. Her cheeks heated up and she quickly looked away, busying herself with gathering her books for her first class. 

 

“I'd say it's Oscar-worthy.” Ned’s grin was a mile wide. “ _ Anne!  _ You didn't tell me you and Peter were a thing!”

 

“We aren't! Don't you think that even if we  _ were,  _ you'd be the first to know? Peter and I are literally just friends!”

 

“But you guys danced.”

 

“Exactly. We just  _ danced. _ ”

 

“Peter doesn't just dance with anyone! Neither do you! Shall I plan your Star Wars themed date?”

 

“ _ Ned!!” _

 

“Hey, guys,” It was then Peter appeared, removing his bag and beginning to fiddle with his lock. He frowned at the sight of Ned’s evil grin and Annemarie’s pink cheeks. “What's up?”

 

“Ned thinks we’re a thing,” Annemarie squeaked just as Ned held up his phone to show the footage again. Peter watched with a raised eyebrow, finally looked at Ned with a straight face. What he said next shocked Annemarie, “Guess you figured us out.”

 

Her eyes went wide. Her cheeks burned and butterflies soared in her stomach as Peter wrapped an arm around her, his face still very serious as he continued, “It's true, Ned. Annemarie and I have a thing.”

 

Now it was Ned’s turn to frown. “Wait…seriously?”

 

“Yes, we’re on a secret undercover mission to find Emperor Palpatine. He's clearly infiltrated Midtown and the best way to find him is to fake a romantic relationship so he can prey on one of us and try to turn us to the Dark Side.”

 

When Peter grinned, Annemarie snorted, began giggling. Ned rolled his eyes, “Ha, ha, very funny.”

 

“But Ned, we are the galaxy’s only hope!” she winked, causing Peter to laugh now. The two of them were arm in arm, laughing hysterically. After a while, Ned began to laugh, despite all the weird stares they got. 

 

“Okay, I get it, you guys aren’t a thing. But what's up? Are we doing another movie marathon this week?”

 

“I can't,” Annemarie said glumly, “My dad might be coming this weekend. He wants to see us.”

 

“That's great!” Ned exclaimed, only to frown when Annemarie didn't seem to share his enthusiasm, “Or not great?”

 

She shrugged, “It's just my dad. No big deal.”

 

“Well, I mean, he hasn’t visited you guys in a while,” Peter remarked, taking out his History textbook. “I’d say it’s pretty exciting.”

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes, “Trust me, I’d rather watch the movies with you guys. My dad’s just... _ super  _ annoying and overbearing. I hate being around him because of it.” 

 

“But you can’t blow ‘em off,” Ned said, “I mean, we don’t want you getting in trouble with your family.”

 

Peter frowned, noting Annemarie’s clear discomfort, “Yeah, I mean...your family’s important. We can always move our marathon to next weekend.”

 

Annemarie waved a dismissive hand, “Don’t worry. Just go on without me. We can always catch up!”

 

The boys exchanged a glance. “Are you sure?” Ned asked, “Come on, we can’t do the  _ Star Trek  _ marathon without you!”

 

Her eyes narrowed, “....Did...did you say  _ Star Trek? _ ”

 

“Yeah! Peter wanted to give it a shot!”

 

“I rented  _ Wrath of Khan  _ already…” Peter mumbled.

 

There was a pause before Annemarie seized Peter by the shoulders and gave him the best death glare she could manage, “Peter Parker, you listen to me. If you boys watch that masterpiece of a movie without me, I will purposely misplace your Chemistry notebook so you’ll never find your notes again. Capiche?!”

 

Despite trying to look intimidating. Peter oddly found her threat adorable. However, knowing better, he simply nodded. When Annemarie’s gaze shot to Ned’s, Ned gave a dutiful nod and salute to show his agreement. “So next weekend we’re doing this.” She ordered.

 

“Yes, Anne,” the boys responded in unison just as the bell rang. She gave them a bright smile before hugging them both, “Gotta head to class! See you guys later!”

 

As she skipped off down the hall, Ned could only remark,

 

“....She’s awfully chipper lately…”

 

“Yeah…” Peter bit his lip, “...you could, uh, say that again…w--wonder what’s up…”

 

\---

 

_ Theories on SM’s Face _

 

_ Tip 1: Possibly my age? Talks like he’s about fifteen, sixteen. _

_ Tip 2: Brown or blonde hair? Possibly blonde? _

_ Tip 3: Blue eyes maybe? But he gives off a brown eye vibe...I’ll say brown. _

_ Tip 4: DEFINITELY an athlete! The way he moves around and does all those cool flips and stunts. Football player! Running back! Has to be! _

_ Tip 5:  _

 

“The perfect guy,” Annemarie mumbled dreamily to herself as she scribbled away in her notebook possible theories on Spider-Man. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, even in class she was so busy doodling away or daydreaming about their next meeting. Perhaps one night he would finally take off his mask, tell her she’s the only girl in the world and maybe even ask her to be his girlfrie--

 

“--Annemarie!” 

 

She squeaked in surprise, sat upright as her fellow classmates began sniggering. At the front, her History teacher was giving her a look. “Would you care to read the next segment in your textbook regarding Magellan?”

 

Annemarie blanched as she eyed her textbook on the desk...lying there closed and not at all open to the required page. She swallowed. “Er…”

 

“See me after class,” The teacher snapped, clearly not amused, “And pay attention to the passage.”

 

Humiliated, Annemarie sunk lower into her seat, “Sorry, sir…”

 

Just then, there was a knock at the classroom door, and as it swung open, Annemarie’s eyes widened at the sight of Liz Allan, her bright, beaming smile making her look as perfect as ever. 

 

“Liz! What brings you?” The teacher seemed happy to see her.

 

“Hi, Mr. Powers! I just need to see Annemarie for a quick second? Volleyball team business!” She winked, giving Annemarie a quick wave. He frowned, paused before sighing in resignation, “All right, but make it quick. Go on, Annemarie.”

 

Annemarie ignored the stares as she got up, walked down the aisles until she was safely in the hallway with Liz, who held a hall pass under her arm. As soon as the door closed, Liz was practically beaming and trembling with excitement, “I’m  _ so  _ glad I found you! I’ve got some news for you!” she whispered.

 

Annemarie blinked in surprise, “Erm...what’s up?”

 

“Coach Kane scheduled our first official game!” Liz squealed, “I’ve already told Betty and some of the other girls. I’ve been trying to find you so you’re not out of the loop at practice later! It’s against the Westchester High Panthers, and I think we’ve got a  _ solid  _ chance with how amazing progress has been! Plus, you’re our star player!”

 

Annemarie snorted, “I highly doubt that…”

 

“Annemarie, you’re a total natural!” Liz rolled her eyes, giggled, “But, anyway, I figured I’d ask you if maybe you wanted to crash at my place. The game’s on Sunday, and I figured us girls can have a slumber party to celebrate. You can come on Saturday, and we’ll have snacks, watch movies, and we can do each other’s makeup…” she gushed, “...it’ll be fun! What do you say?”

 

On one hand, Annemarie much preferred watching movies with the guys. On the other, volleyball was a great excuse to avoid spending a weekend with her dad.

 

_ Click. _

 

“Sure,” she chirped out, “just tell me the details in practice later.”

 

“Great! We’re going to have  _ so  _ much fun! We can even talk about boys!” Liz gave a sly smile, “I promise my dad won’t intervene too much!”

 

She pat Annemarie on the shoulder, “Go back to class. I’ll see you at practice later!”

 

She turned, began walking down the hall, only to stop and point, 

 

“Pay attention in Powers’ class! Last thing I need is for you to slack off! Volleyball players need to be sharp!”

 

Annemarie shyly nodded and scrambled back into class just as Liz turned the corner.

 

\---

 

As soon as her day at school ended, Annemarie had went to the vending machines in the locker room to buy a bag of gummy worms, specifically for a certain web-slinging hero. She was excited, all she had to do was get through getting home and doing homework and obligatory dinner with the family and small talk and then…

 

Annemarie sighed dreamily again as she burst out of the locker rooms, surprised to find only Ned waiting by the robotics lab for her. She frowned, “Where’d Peter go?”

 

“He had something to do for his Aunt May. He left this.” Ned handed her a note on a Post-It, and Annemarie sighed at the hastily written  _ sorry  _ on it with a drawn sad face on the corner. She couldn’t ignore the small pang of disappointment. She’d hoped to have a companion with her on the long train ride home. Ned lived on the other side, so their travels would be short. She folded Peter’s little note, tucked it in one of her binder pockets, and gabbed away for a brief time with Ned as they walked to the train. As soon as Ned waved goodbye and went onto his train, Annemarie sighed as it pulled out, leaving her waiting alone on the platform. She took out her phone, texted Peter.  _ Ned told me you needed to help your aunt. Is she okay?? _

 

She put her phone back in her pocket, walked further down the platform towards where the first train car would be once it arrived. She preferred the quiet of the end of the platform. There were too many people further down. 

 

She wrapped her jacket tighter around herself, tried to ignore the autumn night chill. Fishing out her bag of gummy worms, Annemarie struggled to open it. She’d eat a little, she figured--save some for Spidey later.

 

She jumped when she felt a tap on her shoulder behind her, not expecting anyone to even approach her, or even be this far out. Annemarie whirled around, seeing no one behind her. She furrowed her brow, absently looked up, and yelped at the sight of a certain superhero hanging casually upside-down from the subway awning. 

 

“Hey there, cutie,” he quipped, giving a wave, “so...is this the train downtown?”

 

Her mouth dropped open in shock.

 

“Heyyyy, are those  _ my _ gummy worms? Were you about to eat them?” He tsked, “Gotta say, you really need to work on your impulse control!”

 

“W--how did you--?!”

 

“Adventure time, Wendy,” he plopped onto his feet, grabbed her waist, pulled her close as he shot out another web, “Best part? The fare hike doesn’t affect your Spidey trips!”

 

With another yelp, she was clinging to him as they were off, soaring across the city. It was longer than usual, with Annemarie’s eyes closed the whole time, occasionally yelping. Once she felt solid ground on her feet and Spider-Man’s hands running up and down her arms to reassure her, she pulled back, blinking in wonder at the sight of his goggled face staring back at her.

 

They were back at their usual spot, on top of the abandoned warehouse overlooking the city. Annemarie took in the view, her heart soaring. However, logic caught up with her as she turned to face him, sitting there perched at the edge of the roof, feet dangling over the edge. She plopped down next to him, linking arms with him as she rested her head on his shoulder. “This is real cute and all, but how exactly did you find me?” She asked after a short moment of blissful silence.

 

She was sure she felt him flinch before he stammered out, “I--I was just swinging by, doing my patrols. Just happened to see you standing there all sad by yourself...thought maybe you could use a pick-me-up.”

 

She bit her lip, tried to fight the urge to smile, but it was no use. “I’m glad I’m here. I’m...really happy to see you.” 

 

She handed him the unopened bag. “The worms I owe you.”

 

“Thanks.” He took them, effortlessly opened the bag and lifted his mask to just above his lips as he began eating. Annemarie squinted, tried to recognize him from his jawline. Alas, she couldn’t pinpoint him, and she was too busy wowed at the fact that his mask was half off. All she had to do was snatch it off and she’d know. 

 

But she wouldn’t do that. Not now. Not yet. She wanted him to remove his mask of his own accord. Because he trusted her. She sighed again, huddled closer to him. “You know we can’t be here for too long, right?” She inquired quietly.

 

He sighed, whispered, “I know.”

 

Annemarie closed her eyes, took in this moment. “Spidey?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“D--do you...think about me?” she asked, suddenly shy. “I mean...I’ve been thinking about you all day. I couldn’t wait to--to see you. I just...sometimes I feel so much excitement that...I just don’t wanna be alone in it, you know?”

 

There was a long pause. Finally, he admitted, “I think about you a lot, Annemarie. Sometimes I...I wonder what you had for breakfast this morning. I wonder if you’re doing okay in school. Or--or I see something awesome and the first person I wanna share it with is you. I...I dunno, I just...I feel like we’re really cool.”

 

She deflated, “Just cool?”

 

No reply.

 

She felt silly then, “...or maybe you think I’m just being weird?”

 

“You’re not being weird, Annemarie. I just...it’s a lot. I’ve never really...talked to anyone like this before.” He held out the bag, “Worm?”

 

She shook her head as he resumed eating them. After a long pause, with the only sounds being the night breeze and the rushing waters of the river below to calm them, he suddenly whispered, “B--back when I got my powers, I...I thought I was a big-shot, I guess? And--and I let a robber get away one night. Figured hey, not my problem. Let the cops deal with it. Because of that...an innocent person got hurt. S--someone amazing.”

 

She looked up upon hearing his voice tremble. He’d tugged his mask back on fully, so she couldn’t tell his expression whatsoever. “What happened?”

 

“The robber was trying to get away, and this guy, uh...tried to do the right thing. Tried to stop ‘em. Basically, he tried to be a hero. The robber, uh…” He swallowed, “...shot him. He didn’t make it.”

 

Her heart broke, “I’m so sorry, Spidey…” She hugged his arm, nuzzled his shoulder.

 

“I’ll never forget him,” he said quietly. “I...what happened to him was my fault. Because I had the power to stop that guy.”

 

“Hey,” she sat up, and when he met her eyes, she shook her head, “what happened wasn’t your fault. There was no way you could have known what happened. That guy was trying to do the right thing.”

 

“He had--he had a family, Annemarie. And...I--!”

 

“--you’re doing amazing things  _ now,  _ Spidey. And I’m sure that man would be very proud of you.”

 

He took a shuddering breath, “Y--you mean that?”

 

“Of course I mean it. You’re the amazing Spider-Man.” She whispered, “You’re kind. You’re brave. And you happen to like gummy worms. I dunno, but  _ I’m  _ pretty proud.”

 

He snorted, chuckled at that. “Amazing Spider-Man. Kinda like the sound of that.”

 

He absently brushed a stray strand of hair aside, causing her to blush, “I was thinking about him today. More so than usual. And...you made me feel a little better just now. So...thanks.”

 

Annemarie giggled, “I’m glad I could help.”

 

He rose, pulling her up with him. “Time for us to go now, huh?” he said, almost sounding disappointed.

 

Annemarie bit her lip, “I could always tell my mom the train got delayed…”

 

He grinned. “Time for more adventure, then?” He sounded excited, like a little boy.

 

“Why, where are we going?” She instinctively clung to him.

 

He shot out a web, “Wherever we wanna go.”

 

And they were off again. After spending another half an hour in an empty park under the Brooklyn Bridge, they were in the alleyway beside her building, preparing to separate. Annemarie hugged him tightly, not wanting to leave.

 

“You’ll come tonight, won’t you?” Her voice was muffled as she spoke into his sweatshirt. 

 

“Yeah. I owe you one more fact about me, don’t I?” He replied.

 

“I’ll be waiting,” she whispered, pulling away to prepare for her ascent upstairs. She began fishing out her keys, although she kept her eyes trained on the superhero, who gave a shy wave.

 

“Bye,” she mumbled, almost tripping over a fallen trash can. She quickly caught herself, humiliated for the briefest of seconds as he waved back.

 

“See you later,” he replied.

 

As soon as she turned the corner, he was climbing up, and as soon as he reached the roof of her building he sighed, ran a hand over his face before tugging off the mask.

 

“The hell are you doing, Parker…?” Peter mumbled to himself, torn. He caught sight of his reflection in a puddle of God knew what, sighing. 

 

He almost told her tonight. He really wanted to. But now, seeing his loser face made him second guess everything once again. She looked at him with such amazement and wonder. How disappointed would she be if he ever just ripped off his mask and said, “Hey, it’s me! Peter Parker!” He’d watch her crestfallen face, see her turn away from him in disgust even.

 

“How could I be so stupid…?” he groaned. It was much easier admiring Liz Allan from afar. To willingly continue interacting with a friend (who possibly  _ liked  _ liked him) who had  _ no idea  _ who he really was felt so wrong in so many different ways. But yet he couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to stop. Being with Annemarie felt...easier, somehow. Like he could be who he wanted to be.

 

Except for if she ever found out the amazing Spider-Man was just puny, pathetic Peter Parker.

 

“She’ll hate me,” he murmured, sighing again. He felt his phone buzzing in his pocket, and when he fished it out, his heart fell at the familiar name in his notifications.

 

_ Hey u haven’t answered me. R u ok? Is ur aunt ok? Please keep me posted. Anne xo _

 

He hesitated. Finally, he slowly typed out,  _ relax. Everything’s cool. May just needed my help with some chores. Sorry for not responding sooner.  _

 

She replied instantly,  _ i’m glad u guys r ok! I was worried! Just got home. I told mom my train got delayed but guess what?? spider-man surprised me! He took me to our spot and we had fun at this park...it was perfect. I think he likes me! Or...at least i really hope so. How do you know if someone likes you, peter? _

 

His heart fell reading her words. “Oh, God...what do I do…?”

 

He slowly typed,  _ i guess if he really likes spending time with u it’s a good thing...but idk honestly. _

 

_ I’ll probably leave the paper early tomorrow. I wanna see if maybe i can find him during one of his patrols! _

 

His eyes widened,  _ No, don’t do that. That could be extremely dangerous! _

 

_ I’ll be fine! Besides, he’s promised me he won’t let anything bad happen to me!  i trust him. And my mom always used to say if you care about someone, never let it go. Well, i’m not going to. He needs someone, and i wanna be there for him. Wanna come with? It could be a fun adventureeeee ;) _

 

_ We should probably stay at the paper tomorrow. _

 

_ Peteeeee. :( just an hour of searching? And if we don’t find him we can just head home. Pretty please? I’ll treat us to pizzaaaa.  _

 

Maybe if he went with her, he could indeed keep her safe, maybe get her off his back a bit. Peter wrote back,  _ okay, fine. But only one hour! _

 

_ Yayyyy. You’re the best~<3 _

 

“I’m totally screwed.”


	22. Deepest Cut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN UPDATE?! Huzzah! Again, sorry for being slow, lovelies! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Also, who got Homecoming on blu-ray? Ugh, I can't get enough of how amazing the movie is. 
> 
> Again, spoilers for Homecoming if you still somehow haven't seen the movie. 
> 
> Also....pleasedon'thatemeforthischapterkbye.

Thursday mornings at Midtown High were the same as any other mornings. Principal Morita would make the same old morning announcements. Betty Brant and Jason Ionello would lamely provide the school news with such lack of enthusiasm it was difficult to be excited about anything. Even regarding Spider-Man news, it was so dull and lame that Annemarie couldn’t believe her ears. She often tuned it out during first period English, gabbing away with Ned about the newspaper. Occasionally, she would find herself engaging in conversation with Michelle, who seemed to be warming up to her a bit. Annemarie found Michelle wasn’t that bad. She simply seemed misunderstood. And that was all-too-familiar to Annemarie, who found herself partnered with the girl (and Ned) in a group project Mr. Friedman assigned for the period after the Midtown News ended. They were currently in the Shakespeare unit,  _ Hamlet _ to be exact, and he’d asked the groups to re-enact a certain scene. Annemarie, Michelle, Ned, and another student, Abraham, were given the segment in which Claudius dies, justice served by Hamlet..

 

“How are we going to even do this?” Annemarie groaned, “This scene is so dramatic!”

 

“More like boring,” Michelle rolled her eyes, “Why couldn’t we just get the ‘to be or not to be’ segment?”

 

“That’s, like, a monologue!” Ned exclaimed.

 

Michelle shrugged. Annemarie read the scene over, frowning in thought as she stated, “I guess we should just decide who we each want to be. We can’t not do this, otherwise Mr. Friedman will give us a bad grade…”

 

“I want as few lines as possible,” Ned raised a hand, “Make me Claudius. I’ll make sure I die with style.”

 

“You never do anything with style,” Abraham joked.

 

Annemarie giggled. 

 

“Then  _ please _ make me Hamlet,” Michelle replied, “I’d love to be the one who forces you to drink the poison.”

 

Ned eyed her, “Don’t actually poison me.”

 

Michelle held up her bottle of iced tea, “Don’t tempt me.”

 

Annemarie shot them a look before sighing, “I guess I’ll be Gertrude…I’m not really good at acting, either. I guess that leaves you with Laertes, Abe.”

 

Abraham laughed, “We’re all going to die and Michelle’s going to be the one to kill us!”

 

“How pleasant,” Michelle deadpanned.

 

Annemarie rolled her eyes fondly just as Mr. Friedman ordered everyone to pay attention. She eyed the clock. If only it was two forty-five  _ now.  _ She bit her lip, anxious. She couldn’t wait to leave school with Peter and then they could track down Spider-Man. This time, she wasn’t going to miss seeing him. Any opportunity was perfect. She couldn’t get enough of him. It may have been silly of her to do, but she would have Peter with her. 

 

Besides, if things  _ really  _ went south, Spider-Man would save them. She knew it!

 

“Anne!” She started at the sound of Ned’s voice interrupting her reverie. “We’re up! Michelle volunteered we go first!”

 

“Get it over with,” Michelle rolled her eyes as she got up to the front, Abraham tagging along behind her.

 

“Let’s go,” Ned whispered as he and Annemarie moved to follow.

 

The scene went by with aplomb, Michelle’s strong performance giving them an A. By the time the bell rang, Annemarie was only counting down the hours until she got to see her dream boy. She sighed as she walked out of English, off to her next class. “Later, Ned! Good luck on your quiz!” she waved as he gave a hasty wave and hurried off in the opposite direction.

 

“Hey, Annemarie, wait up!” she turned upon hearing Michelle call her, began walking beside her down the hall. Annemarie ignored the stares and mumbles they got as they walked. “What class do you have next, Michelle?”

 

“Computer Science,” Michelle rolled her eyes, “ _ so  _ lame. Not even engaging. They only make us do PowerPoint presentations. How about you?”

 

“Spanish,” Annemarie shrugged, “it’s kind of hard, but I just need to pass this quiz.”

 

“If you need a tutor, I can help you out,” Michelle offered, quickly waving a dismissive hand, “I mean, if you want. You don’t have to.”

 

Annemarie bit her lip. Granted, no one really paid much attention to Michelle, despite her being in the decathlon and many other clubs. Even Ned raised a skeptical eyebrow at her strange behavior. But she seemed nice enough despite being rather rough around the edges. “Sure. I could use some help. How about later at lunch?”

 

Michelle furrowed her brow, almost surprised she even agreed, “Uh...yeah, that’d be cool. Should warn you, I’m a tough teacher so…”

 

Annemarie gave a grin, “It’s okay. I need to know what I’m doing wrong and what I’m doing right. No sugarcoating.”

 

They stopped in front of the room where Mr. Rodriguez waited, other students filing in. “This is me,” Annemarie replied, “see you at lunch?”

 

Michelle nodded, “Sure. Cool. See you.”

 

“Thanks a lot, Michelle!” Annemarie waved.

 

Michelle waved, turned to walk to class, only to stop, bite her lip. She turned back to Annemarie, suddenly said, “MJ.”

 

Annemarie frowned, “Hmm?”

 

“M--my friends…” Michelle mumbled, “...they call me MJ.”

 

She looked oddly shy and earnest, something Annemarie wasn’t used to seeing. Nevertheless, she nodded, “Okay...later, MJ!”

 

Michelle gave a small smile before turning again to head to class. Annemarie watched her turn the corner before walking into class, sitting down just as the late bell rang.

 

\---

 

“ _ Ughhhh,  _ why can’t this day just be  _ over  _ already?” Annemarie whined, dramatically looking up at the ceiling. “End already,” she told the plaster, groaning.

 

“We’ve just got to get through the day first, Annemarie,” Peter mumbled, half-listening as they worked on their latest Chemistry lab project. He dutifully looked over the instructions in their textbook, being careful as he poured something into something else--no matter, Annemarie wasn’t paying attention. She was too busy thinking about Spider-Man.  _ Ughhh! Who needs school when there’s a superhero running around! Here! In New York City!  _

 

_ And he thinks I’m awesome,  _ she tried very hard not to squeal like a pathetic girl at that. She sighed, rested her chin in her hand as she watched Peter finish their project. She had offered to help, only for him to refuse, saying it was dangerous for her. She had said they were just basic chemicals, nothing crazy. But alas, Peter was stubborn. 

 

“Pete, let me  _ do  _ something,” she whispered, “I can’t just  _ sit  _ here...besides, it’s  _ our  _ project…”

 

“Anne, if these chemicals mix the wrong way, there could be a  _ huge  _ accident and I don’t want you getting caught in that,” Peter mumbled, still occupied with the chemicals.

 

“It’s  _ water  _ and  _ chlorine _ ,” Annemarie rolled her eyes.

 

“Chlorine turns blonde hair green.”

 

“Peter, I’m a brunette!”

 

“Still, it can change your hair color dramatically if it gets on you.”

 

“ _ My hair is tied up! _ ” Annemarie whispered fiercely. She looked, found the teacher eyeing them suspiciously, “Seriously! If it looks like I’m not doing anything, I’ll get a bad grade!”

 

Peter sighed, “Hold this,” he handed her an empty beaker. “Just get me more water, please?”

 

She glared at him. When he noticed she hadn’t moved, he met her eyes. “What?”

 

“I can  _ help,  _ Peter. I’m not stupid,” Annemarie grumbled.

 

“I’m not saying you are,” Peter replied calmly, “I just...don’t want you to get hurt.”

 

“Chlorine isn’t going to hurt me unless it goes in my eyes, and I’m wearing safety goggles. You know, stuff the  _ school makes us wear _ ?” 

 

“ _ Anne,  _ it’s probably better you don’t use these, anyway. You’re distracted!” he protested.

 

She narrowed her eyes, “What’s  _ that  _ supposed to mean?”

 

Peter sighed, annoyed. He shook his head, “Nothing, forget it.” The last thing he wanted was to have a silly argument with Annemarie over nothing. 

 

She crossed her arms, “Peter Parker, if you don’t tell me--!”

 

Whatever patience he had left slipped away as he snapped, “You’re too busy daydreaming about Spider-Man.”

 

“It doesn’t mean I can’t still  _ work _ !”

 

“I dunno, Anne, you’ve been distracted,” Peter bit back, “You’re too busy doodling in your binder in Algebra, and don’t think I don’t see it, okay? Besides, you’re all too willing to dip on the newspaper meeting today just because you’re hoping to see this guy!”

 

“You are such a  _ jerk _ !” Annemarie retorted, “You shouldn’t even be looking in my binder!”

 

“You don’t exactly hide it,” Peter said dryly.

 

“Just because I want to pursue the truth about Spider-Man  _ doesn’t  _ mean that you can just assume that I’m slacking off in school and that I can’t help you in this stupid project!”

 

“Pursue the truth?” Peter scoffed, “Please! You’re not even about any of that anymore, you’re just running after danger!”

 

“Whoa-ho, trouble in paradise with your girlfriend, Penis Parker?” Flash Thompson teased as he walked by, holding a tray of lab supplies as he chuckled at the two.

 

“Shut the hell up, Eugene,” Annemarie snapped viciously right before the bell rang, signifying the end of class. She snatched up her books and got up, ready to storm out of class. She ignored Flash’s whistle as he mumbled to a friend, “Whoa, she on her period or something?”

 

She clutched her books tightly to her chest as she walked out of class, trying to ignore Peter behind her, already apologetic.

 

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I just don’t want you running out there and getting hurt--!”

 

She whirled around, causing Peter to stop dead in his tracks, “What’s with this sudden change of heart?” she demanded, “I thought you were on my side! You and me, the team! You told me you thought Spider-Man was misunderstood, too! Why are you suddenly trying to tell me  _ not  _ to do this?”

 

Peter groaned, “I--I  _ am  _ on your side, Annemarie. But we’re friends, too, and...I...I just don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all. I mean, it can get dangerous, you know?”

 

She glared at him, tried to stay angry, but his remorseful gaze and his gentle words of warning made her relent, just a bit. She sighed, “I...I know. You’re...I know you’re just looking out for me, and it’s sweet. I wouldn’t want anything happening to you, either. But...but we’ll be fine. We’ve got each others’ backs, and if things get  _ really  _ bad, I  _ know  _ Spider-Man will help us. I have faith in us, and I have faith in him. Just  _ trust me _ . Okay?”

 

Peter sighed. He could only hope criminals decided to take a day off today and their trail would end up cold. He didn’t want to fight with her, however, so he nodded, “Y--yeah. Okay.”

 

She smiled at last, hugging him with one arm. He hugged her back, held her close as she whispered, “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

 

“It’s okay…” He mumbled, rubbing her back in reassurance before pulling away. He hoisted his bag over one shoulder as he gave a grin, “See ya at lunch?”

 

She nodded. “Lunch.”

 

“Later, c--Anne,” he suddenly choked, began coughing. 

 

Annemarie started at his sudden fit, “A--are you okay?”

 

“Y--yeah, yeah, just something got caught in my throat, is all,” Peter avoided her gaze, “Uh--uh...later!” 

 

And then he was quickly retreating, leaving Annemarie confused before shrugging and heading off in the opposite direction.

 

\---

 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid,  _ stupid _ !” Peter grumbled to himself as he walked down the hall to his next class, running a hand through his hair. How could he almost slip like that?! It was becoming more and more difficult to differentiate his relationship with her during the day and his relationship with her at night. Why did he worry so much about her now? Why did he think about her when he least expected it?  _ Why did he almost slip and call her cutie? _

 

“This hero crap is giving me nothing but trouble,” Peter moaned, ignoring the weird stares he was getting from other students listening to his tirade. He sighed again, praying for the first time ever that  _ nothing  _ would happen after school. He wasn’t sure how long he could keep this up. Besides, what if Annemarie found out?  _ She’d be so disappointed...I--I can’t risk her finding out _ !

 

“Gotta stay focused,” he mumbled to himself, a mantra in an attempt to quell his stress. He took several deep breaths before walking into his next class, where Ned had already saved him a seat.

 

“You okay, man?” Ned asked as Peter collapsed into his seat.

 

“Great,” Peter mumbled wryly just as the late bell rang.

 

\---

 

At precisely two forty-five, Annemarie burst through the front doors of the school excitedly proclaiming, “It’s tiiiiiiiime!”

 

Behind her, Peter sighed, his camera around his neck. “Here we go,” he mumbled. 

 

“You guys better get a good scoop!” Ned exclaimed, “I’m serious! Skipping this meeting better be worth it!”

 

“It’ll be perfect!” Annemarie was beaming, “We’ll keep you posted, Ned!”

 

He rolled his eyes, “Have fun finding Prince Charming,” he waved before leaving them alone. She couldn’t resist a small excited squeal, whirling around to face Peter, “Isn’t this  _ exciting _ ?” She asked, “I can’t  _ wait _ ! I’ve already got the news app up!”

 

He could only give a small smile in response.

 

She frowned, “Are you okay, Peter? You’re really pale…”

 

“Uh, uh, I’m fine! J--just ready for the big scoop! I’m at your beck and call!” He said, a bit too quickly. 

 

She grabbed his arm as they walked down the streets of Queens. “Peter Parker and Anne Abbey,” she dramatically said, waving at the air at an imaginary banner, “Two daring reporters searching for the truth! Spider-Man, the hero of New York, has got us on his side, and we’re  _ not  _ about to let him be misunderstood by the stupid  _ Daily Bugle _ ! Aren’t you excited, Peter?”

 

“Y--yeah, yeah…” Peter mumbled, trying very hard not to give anything away.

 

They stopped at a corner, where the traffic light changed. “Oh, I almost forgot!” Annemarie exclaimed, “I didn’t ask you...how’d you do on the Algebra quiz?”

 

“Nailed it.” He grinned, almost relieved at the change of subject, “How about you?”

 

“Aced! See, told you I’m not slacking!” She teased, gave a giggle before the light changed again so they could cross the street. 

 

Peter chuckled, “Good to know. Hey, so we’re still doing  _ Wrath of Khan  _ next weekend, right?”

 

Annemarie nodded, “Definitely! Although...I may not be seeing my dad after all.” She gave a pleased grin.

 

“Why’s that?”

 

“Liz invited me to her house for a sleepover! Her dad offered to drive us!”

 

Peter’s eyes lit up as he remembered, “You’re right, your first game! I’ve gotta tell May so she can drive me and Ned! We gotta see you kick some ass out there.”

 

Her cheeks heated up, “I mean...I’m not  _ that  _ great...but I’m actually pretty excited! I kind of want to help Midtown win the regionals this year at the very least!”

 

“You’re going to, ‘cause you’re so awesome and all,” Peter shyly admitted, “you’re really great at volleyball, Annemarie.”

 

Her cheeks grew hotter. “T--thanks, Peter…”

 

“And I’ll have you know I re-joined the decathlon,” Peter proclaimed proudly. 

 

They stopped, Annemarie’s mouth dropping open as she smacked his shoulder, “And you’re  _ just  _ now telling me this?!” She demanded as he gave a shrug, “ _ Peter _ ! I’m so happy!”

 

Peter opened his mouth to reply only to look behind her, where they’d stopped in front of a narrow alleyway. His heart fell at the sight of a young man getting mugged, helplessly assaulted by a masked assailant. “Help!” the young man cried out, “Please! Someone help me!”

 

_ Dammit.  _ Peter’s heart fell, and Annemarie whirled around, also hearing the commotion. She moved, only for Peter to grab her, a sudden protective streak coming over him. 

 

“We should get the cops,” he said, “they’ll be able to help him.”

 

“By then it’ll be too late!” Annemarie whispered, trying to pull away.

 

“ _ Annemarie, _ ” he whispered through gritted teeth, “let the cops handle it!”

 

“He’s  _ hurting  _ that guy, we can’t let this happen!” Annemarie managed to snatch her arm away, marching straight into the alleyway and yelling out, “Hey!”

 

“ _ ANNE!”  _ Peter hurried after her just as the assailant stopped, looked up at them. The poor victim looked too, quickly taking advantage of the opportunity as he grabbed his fallen wallet and scurried off, brushing past Peter in the process.

 

“Quit being a bully!” Annemarie exclaimed to the masked assailant, crossing her arms, “Or are we gonna have to call the cops on you?!”

 

“Back off, little bitch,” the man’s voice was deep, threatening as he glared at her.

 

“Anne, let’s go,” Peter grabbed her, but she shrugged him off.

 

“Think you’re so tough, eh?” The man pulled out a knife, and Peter swore inwardly before stepping in front of Annemarie, holding up his hands, “L--look man, we don’t want any trouble...just leave us alone, okay?”

 

“Really, punk? Your little girlfriend’s out here fighting battles that ain’t hers and you wanna back off? Fat chance!” He slowly approached, “Why don’t I rearrange your face?”

 

He lunged then, and Peter moved, shoving Annemarie backwards and lifting his camera to protect his face just as the knife hit the lens. Peter aimed a hard kick to the man’s shins. He cried out, tumbled forwards, bringing Peter down with him. He hit the concrete, hearing Annemarie let out a scream, and he tasted blood in his mouth as he scrambled to get up, taking his camera off his neck, prepared to use it as a weapon if necessary.

 

The man moved to get up, but Peter already wildly swung his camera, where it collided with his jaw in a sick  _ crack.  _

 

“ _ PETER! _ ” Annemarie yelled out, grabbing his arm. His priorities changed then, and he seized Annemarie by the wrist, tugging her along as he ran as fast as he could, his heart racing. She yelped here and there, but nevertheless didn’t protest as they kept running, neither of them looking back or even stopping until they were several blocks away, hiding in the corner of some bodega. 

 

Annemarie remained pressed against him as they waited by the cold beverages, silently hoping they weren’t followed. After a long, tense silence, Peter relaxed, the adrenaline wearing off as he pulled away from her, inspecting his camera. His heart fell at the broken lens. There was no fixing that. It was Uncle Ben’s old vintage one--and even if he could fix it, it’d be a ridiculous amount of money he didn’t even have. 

 

“Is--is it safe?” He heard Annemarie whisper. Despite not regretting protecting her, a nameless anger suddenly filled Peter as he looked at the broken camera that he couldn’t fix. He looked up at Annemarie, and the anger bit through any relief he might have had. Suddenly, she was the cause of his camera, his stress, and the struggle of being Spider-Man. And he was angry. Angry for not being quick enough. Angry for not letting her go the way he should’ve.

 

He let out a gruff, “Let’s go,” before seizing Annemarie again by the wrist as he yanked her out of the bodega, practically tugging her down the street to the nearby subway station. He pulled her down the stairs, up to the turnstile before he heard her yelp and exclaim,

 

“ _ Ow,  _ Peter, you’re  _ hurting  _ me!”

 

He let go, whirled around to face her, “How could you do that, Annemarie?!” he demanded, ignoring the passerby who gave odd looks. “How could you do something so  _ freaking  _ stupid?!”

 

She rubbed her sore wrist, looked up at him with big, wide brown eyes, shocked at his sudden anger. Peter didn’t even wait for her to answer as he continued on his furious tirade,

 

“ _ Anything  _ could have happened just now! You could’ve been seriously hurt, or worse! And you actually thought standing up to some stupid mugger would be enough to--!”

 

“--Spider-Man would’ve came,” she mumbled, more to herself than to him, and something in him snapped, burst, broke, and he finally yelled,

 

“Spider-Man wasn’t going to come for you, dammit! That guy would’ve hurt you and you could’ve ended up in a hospital or worse! You’re being  _ stupid _ , Annemarie! You can’t rely on  _ one guy  _ to save you all the time! Besides, he wasn’t there when it happened! We’re lucky we got out as fast as we did, and yet you’re  _ still _ determined to chase this  _ random guy _ because he  _ happened to _ save you once!” He held up his broken camera for emphasis as he continued sarcastically, “ _ Wow,  _ what a hero! Look at the amazing job he did  _ saving  _ us!”

 

She blinked, clearly taken aback, “P--Peter...y--you don’t understand. Sp--Spider-Man and I are really--really close. He said he’d never let anything bad happen to me…” She sounded almost nervous, afraid even, “I--I think he likes me…”

 

“Oh,  _ please _ ,” Peter rolled his eyes, “Think realistically here, Annemarie! You really think Spider-Man likes you?! He’s a  _ superhero _ ! Out of  _ anyone  _ in this city, you really think he’s gonna notice someone like  _ you _ ?!”

 

It wasn’t until the words left his mouth that he regretted saying them. His anger melted away, and suddenly he couldn’t bring himself to say any more furious words or cruel statements. But it was too late, as the tears filled Annemarie’s eyes and they were falling down her cheeks, her lips curled into a heartbroken frown. She blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop, only to find more tears fill her eyes and fall. She wasn’t sniffling, no, she was actually sobbing, staring into his eyes with so much pain his heart broke.

 

_ What the hell, Parker!,  _ he thought, forcing himself to calm down, just the way Uncle Ben had taught him. He sighed, lifted a hand, “A--Annemarie, I--I didn’t mean that, okay? I didn’t mean it--!”

 

“--like the way you  _ said  _ it?!” Annemarie yelled through her tears, causing his hand to fall. He couldn’t think of anything to say. He tried desperately to choke out some form of apology, to make it  _ right  _ somehow, but she violently shoved him backwards, spitting out, “You’re an  _ asshole,  _ Peter Parker!”

 

She went through her pocket, fished out her MetroCard, swiped herself through the turnstile. Before leaving, she turned to the flabbergasted Peter, and she viciously spat,

 

“I  _ hate  _ you!”

 

And she was gone, leaving Peter to groan and bury his face in his hands in frustration and remorse.


	23. Seeds of Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, that last chapter was quite polarizing, and I'm sorry for that. Good news is, we've got ourselves a new update! Hope you guys enjoy this one!

The last thing Annemarie needed the moment she burst into her apartment in tears was--of course, the  _ one  _ time he decided to be home early--Adam watching TV in the den, until he’d whirled around at the sound of her sobbing, and he was already racing down the hall after her, demanding,

 

“Anne?! Whoa, hey, Anne, are you okay?!”

 

“Just leave me alone!” she choked out, going straight to her bedroom door and yanking it open.

 

“Hold it!” Adam grabbed the door, stopped her from closing it on him. She spun around to face him, glared up at him, “Leave. Me.  _ Alone _ .” She bit out in an attempt to sound threatening.

 

“What happened?” He asked softly, “Did someone hurt you?”

 

She sniffed loudly, angrily swiped her nose with the back of her hand. She had tried keeping her composure, but Peter’s words hurt her in the worst way. Her heart felt broken and she felt raw, stupid for even considering the prospect of her mystery hero even wasting his time with her. Maybe it was all a sick joke? Maybe he really didn’t like her after all and he was just…?

 

“Anne, you’re freaking me out,” Adam knelt down to her height, rested his hands on her shoulders. “What happened? Do I need to call Mom?”

 

“Don’t  _ treat  _ me like that,” she snapped suddenly, and Adam frowned, “Like what?”

 

“Like I’m a stupid unstable  _ idiot  _ who needs a  _ shrink _ ! I’m  _ fine _ !”

 

“You’re not fine, not when you burst into the apartment crying your eyes out and I don’t know why! And you’re about to do it again!” Adam exclaimed.

 

“Do what?!”

 

“Shut everyone out, shut  _ me  _ out, like you always used to!” He sighed, spoke quietly, “Don’t do this, Anne. J--just talk to me. I’m here for you, okay? I’ve always been here. You know you can tell me anything.”

 

_ No. I can’t.  _ Annemarie shut her eyes tightly.

 

“Anne,” Adam pleaded, “don’t do this again. Please?”

 

_ I can’t hurt him again. Say something. _

 

“I...I just had a bad day at school.” She lied, “I--I didn’t do well on some Chemistry project and everyone l--laughed at me. A--and then at the paper, everyone hated my article about the lacrosse team. S--so I’m super upset…”

 

He sighed, “Geez, Anne, you had me worried there for a second…” He gave a sad smile, rubbed her arms, “It’ll be okay. I know it sucks, being laughed at, but it’ll be okay. You’ll be old news by tomorrow. Sometimes you put  _ wayyyyyy  _ too much pressure on yourself. Just relax a little and things’ll fall into place, you know?”

 

She nodded, gave a gamely smile for his benefit. 

 

“Come here,” he pulled her in, hugging her. Annemarie hugged him back, closed her eyes tightly to prevent herself from crying again. “It’ll be okay,” he murmured, “people just suck sometimes, that’s all…”

 

_ I’m sorry, Adam. _

 

She pulled away, gave another gamely smile as he rose to his full height. He took off her hat, asked, “Why don’t we order some Chinese or something? Mom’ll be home soon and we can binge watch those documentaries Connors wants me to review.”

 

She nodded, “O--okay.”

 

“Good. I need someone to explain what the hell is going on in ‘em,” He joked as he walked with her back towards the den.

 

By the time dinner passed and her family said their goodnights and she finally found herself within the safe confines of her bedroom, Annemarie was exhausted. She locked her door, changed into her pajamas, contemplated simply going to bed and leaving a note for Spider-Man to just come back another time. She wasn’t even sure if she felt like seeing him at this point.  _ Maybe he wouldn’t even care if I left a note,  _ she thought glumly.  _ Maybe he’ll just find some other girl. Someone way better. Someone prettier and not as weird… _

 

She sniffled, wiped the stray tears that fell. She finally decided there was no use feeling sorry for herself, and that maybe some rest was all she needed. Perhaps she’d feel better tomorrow. That thought was immediately shot down as she once again thought of Peter and his hurtful words. She’d never seen him so upset before. She’d never heard him say such horrible things. But what if he was right? What if she was just another fad for Spider-Man? What if--

 

_ Tap, tap, tap. _

 

She groaned, buried her face in her hands. A new problem emerged: to open the window or ignore it. Her brain told her ignore it.  _ Please. Like he actually likes me. How could I be so stupid? _

 

But dammit, her stupid heart soared and leapt and she felt like a pathetic loser for caving in, turning and opening the window to find none other than the masked boy himself, holding a single daisy in one hand. Normally, her heart would’ve burst at the sight of him giving her a flower. Instead, it only made her feel worse, the bitter realization that he couldn’t possibly like her hitting her like a ton of bricks. Her smile became a wobbly grimace as she choked out, “Hi,” before dissolving into another bout of tears.

 

“Hey, hey, what happened?” His gentle voice made her cry harder, and she buried her face in her hands, wiped her eyes again and again only for more tears to fall. “Go away,” she wailed, “please, just go…”

 

“D--do you really want me to?” He whispered, trying to pull her hands away from her face. He sounded so sad, so remorseful and so sweet that she found herself shaking her head, moving aside so he could enter. She collapsed into her desk chair, her elbows on her knees as she continued to cry. “I’m sorry,” she sniffed, “it’s not your fault...I’ve just had a bad day…”

 

“W--what happened? Who do I gotta beat up, eh?” He lightly joked as he knelt in front of her, the goggles narrowing to focus on her. She smiled a bit at that, but she shook her head, “Nobody...I…I’m just really upset right now.”

 

“I’m sorry,” He suddenly said, and she furrowed her brow, “F--for what?”

 

_ For saying the worst possible shit to you.  _ “I--I dunno. I guess I’m just trying to make you feel better.” He held up the single daisy, “I--I picked this out for you. I tried making a bouquet, but--y’know, fall, not enough flowers…”

 

“It’s okay. I appreciate it.” She took the flower, put it behind her left ear, where it stuck out cutely in her hair, “Thanks, Spidey.” She gave a watery smile, lightly wiped her eyes. 

 

He regarded her a long moment before he asked, “S--so what happened?”

 

She let out a shaky sigh. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted to tell Spider-Man about her big fight with Peter. What if Peter was right? What if this was all just some weird, sick, twisted joke and he was just…

 

“Annemarie?” 

 

She shook her head, “I--Peter and I got into a fight.”

 

“Y--your friend? What happened?”

 

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” she whispered in a broken voice, looking away as she sat back, her hands folded tightly on her lap. 

 

“I’ll beat him up for you, if you want me to.”  _ I deserve it.  _

 

She shook her head, “N--no...it’s okay...I...it was just really rough.”

 

He had to get it out of her somehow. Just so he could help. Just so he could make things right. “Must’ve been pretty bad if you’re in here crying about it…”

 

She sighed, closed her eyes and made her decision. “W--we fought about you...actually…”

 

He pretended to be surprised, “W--whoa, what? About me? What’d I do?”

 

“S--something happened earlier today,” She began, “we--we were actually looking for you and--someone was getting mugged and I stepped in to help. B--but Peter got hurt...and I accidentally broke his camera...and he got so mad at me,” she began to cry once again, thinking back at how furious Peter was, at the words he said, “I’ve never seen him like that before. H--he said I was stupid for chasing you and that you could never actually hang out with someone like me…b--because you’re a hero, you know? And I’m just…” She trailed off, wiped her eyes.

 

“Just what?” He whispered.

 

“Just this...big, stupid, annoying loser who just happened to get saved by you a few times,” She spat, “And--and maybe he’s right, you know? Maybe this isn’t real for you, Spidey. M--maybe this is just some way of fulfilling your groupie role. Maybe you don’t actually like me at all, and I’m just some weirdo you’ll throw away when you get tired of me. Maybe you’ll find another girl, someone you can trust with  _ all  _ of your secrets, and--!”

 

“--stop.” He finally said, his voice firm as he kept his gaze (or so she believed) to the floor, still kneeling in front of her. She immediately stopped speaking, her lips tightly closed and her eyes wide at his serious tone of voice. He began fiddling with his fingers, slowly looked up at her. “J--just stop, okay?”

 

She nodded, clearly unsure of what to do next as she watched him. Spider-Man took a deep breath, shook his head before admitting, 

 

“Y--your friend’s a real jerk for saying that, okay? I mean, I get it. He--he’s just looking out for you, ‘cause you guys are friends. I’m sure he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to you. B--but he shouldn’t have said...that h--that  _ I _ wouldn’t hang out with someone like you. That was mean. And he--he should apologize...f--for being a jerk…”

 

Annemarie merely blinked, too stunned to reply.

 

“And...and I  _ do  _ trust you. I just...I just want to keep you safe.”  _ This is it. No chickening out. Just spit it out, Parker.  _ Spider-Man lifted a hand, lowered his hood, moved to remove his mask, but she quickly moved up, her hand grabbing his, stopping him.

 

“Wait. N--no.” She choked out, “Don’t just reveal your face to me just because I had a bad day. I--I want you to tell me because you  _ want  _ to tell me.”

 

“I just want to show you that I trust you.” 

 

“That won’t p--prove anything…” She slowly lifted his hood, left her chair to sit on the floor in front of him. “I appreciate it...really...but don’t tell me who you are unless you  _ want  _ to. When  _ you  _ feel ready. B--besides...I was kind of being stupid. Running into danger like that...just because I thought you’d save me…I...just wanted to be brave, like you...”

 

He didn’t respond, merely watched her as she continued nervously, picking at the pom-pom on her fluffy pink sock,

 

“We didn’t have heroes in Cali, you know? Like...okay, yeah, Iron Man was the big one for a long time...but he’s  _ so  _ big, and so rich and powerful...he always felt kinda like a dream or something. But here, we have  _ you _ , and it’s so amazing. And...and I got carried away with all of this, because I…” She bit her lip, hesitated before continuing, “...because you...you...seem...accessible...like I can connect with you. You...inspire me, you know?”

 

She was as pink as her pajamas as she cleared her throat, quickly got up. She walked to her closet, opened the door and started rummaging through her clothes. “I’m...I’m sorryforbeingsocreepyIjust…” she prattled it off quickly, quietly, didn’t look his way as she cursed herself, wondered why she couldn’t just keep her mouth shut around him. Her hands trembled as she took out and put away a jacket, waited for his response, “I--I mean IgetitI’mjustsoweirdand--!”

 

She started when she felt his hand grab hers, turn her around to face him. Her heart was pounding out of her chest as he tilted his head, as if studying her. She snorted, lowered her gaze, “Like I said...I fill your groupie role really well...right?” She chuckled, more of a nervous laughter than an amused one.

 

“I think you’re really special, Annemarie.” He admitted quietly, and her eyes met his, clearly surprised. He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, forced himself to continue with conviction, “You’re not a  _ groupie.  _ You’re not weird, you’re not annoying and you’re not creepy. You’re smart...a--and kind--and you’re passionate about a lot of things...and you care. A--and I’m really glad I...I met you.”

 

She blinked, her eyes filling with tears, “D--do you really mean that?” she whispered.

 

He nodded, “‘course I do. Just promise me one thing.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Don’t rush into danger? Please? I couldn’t get to you this time, and I--I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if anything were t--to happen to you....” He mumbled, almost shy.

 

She frowned, “B--but what if you need help?”

 

“Call the Avengers,” he half-joked. “No, but seriously, find help. And stay safe. I gotta protect the people I care about.”

 

“Wait...you actually care about me?”

 

“Of course I do.” He admitted, “Just...just don’t rush into danger, okay? Wait for me to come to you. Can you do that for me?”

 

She nodded.

 

“Promise me.” He held up a pinky, “C’mon, swear it.”

 

She giggled before regaining composure and linking her pinky with his. “Okay, Spidey. I promise.” She said boldly.

 

He wasn’t finished there, however, pulling her in unexpectedly for a hug. She let out a noise as she collided with his chest, wrapping her arms around him as he held her, rocked them gently back and forth. He stroked her hair, whispered,

 

“I’m really sorry.”

 

She was thankful he couldn’t see her heated blush, “F--for what? You didn’t do anything wrong…”

 

“I just want you safe,” he mumbled, as if he didn’t hear her. She relented, gently began rubbing circles on his back. “It’s okay, Spidey. Thank you for listening…”

 

What happened next surprised her. He moved, lifted his mask halfway so only his jaw was exposed. She froze completely when she felt his lips press against her cheek. As quickly as it happened, he was pulling away, putting his mask back on fully. He cleared his throat, “Uh...s--so I should probably get going…” he stammered out.

 

She was redder than beets, her hand touching the spot he’d kissed. “Er...y--yeah, you must be tired…”

 

“I’m swamped, actually--!”

 

“--so you should definitely go get some rest--!”

 

“--yeah, yeah, I’m totally gonna get some sleep. I--I’ll visit you tomorrow?”

 

“Y--!” She stopped, remembering she was supposed to go to Liz’s house for her sleepover. “Um...actually I’m going to be away this weekend. It’s our first volleyball game on Sunday and Liz--the captain--offered me to crash at her place. It’s a great way to avoid my dad when he comes...so…” She trailed off.

 

“Uh--uh, wow, first game? Good luck. Kick some ass out there.”

 

She grinned, “I’ll try my best.” 

 

They walked to her window, and he was perched on her fire escape, ready to go, when she blurted out, “Thanks again, Spidey. I--I almost didn’t open the window tonight because of what Peter said...but...now I’m glad I did.”

 

Underneath the mask, he bit his lip, hesitated before replying, “I’m glad I could help...s--so I’ll see you...when do you get back?”

 

“You can come Sunday night. That’s when I’ll be home again.”

 

“Sunday night...gotcha.”

 

“B--bye, Spider-Man.”

 

“Later, cutie.”

 

\---

 

When Annemarie awoke the following morning, the first thing she did was emit a gleeful girlish squeal into her pillows as she thought about the night before. He’d  _ kissed  _ her! On the cheek, sure, but it was  _ something _ ! He had to like her! He just had to! Sure, he kissed her cheek once before, but  _ this  _ time...Annemarie wished desperately that she could tell Peter, but her heart fell as she got ready, thought once again about their ugly spat. How would she even deal with seeing him? What would she say? Would he ignore her? Would he be mean? Would he talk to her first? Did she even  _ want  _ to talk to him first? So many questions swam in her mind on what she could possibly do. She sighed, opted to probably just avoid him and approach him Monday. The last thing she wanted was to have another fight or have things be weird between them and she would lose her focus on the first volleyball game of the season. One thing Annemarie Abbey didn’t want to do was fail. And she wasn’t about to fail at her first game.

 

But that would mean he’d probably not see her game. She deflated at that. Perhaps it was for the best. Let him cool off. At least Ned would be there. She nodded to herself at that thought, put on her bowler hat as she left her bedroom, walked down the hall to the kitchen, where her mother and Adam waited for her with breakfast of waffles and sausages.

 

“She awakens,” Adam proclaimed dramatically, holding up his cup of coffee before taking a swig of it. Annemarie cringed before sitting down, already pouring syrup on her waffles.

 

Wendy sighed, “I can’t believe your father’s going to miss you this weekend...who are you staying with, again? Lisa?”

 

Annemarie shook her head, “Her name’s Liz. She’s the captain of the volleyball team. Her dad’s offered to drive us to the game. The whole team’s gonna be there so we’ll be fine.”

 

“All right. I want to meet this Liz and her family on Sunday.” Wendy said finally, emitting a dramatic sigh from Annemarie. “No sighing, sweetie. I want to know who your friends are.” She replied.

 

“Yeah, you still need to invite Nerd and Pablo over.” Adam remarked before taking a bite of his waffles. Annemarie shot him a glare before nodding, “Yes, Mom. Just don’t embarrass me?”

 

“Why would I embarrass you, sweetie?” Wendy laughed, “Just let us know what time your game is so we can see you. I want to see my baby’s first game!”

 

Annemarie groaned, “ _ Please  _ don’t embarrass me at the  _ game _ , Mom…”

 

“Nah, you’ve got  _ me  _ to worry about for that,” Adam teased. He cupped his hands over his mouth and exclaimed, “That’s my sister! She wet the bed when she was  _ fiiiiiiiiiive _ !”

 

“ _ Mooooooooom _ ,” Annemarie whined, looking to her mother. 

 

Wendy laughed, “Adam, don’t embarrass your sister. It’s her first game and we need to be supportive.” She rested both hands on Annemarie’s cheeks, “ _ Ugh,  _ I’m so excited!” she pressed a kiss to her forehead, “My little Annie Apple’s growing up before my eyes…”

 

Annemarie tried not to bristle at the nickname, “ _ Mom… _ ”

 

“So what time’s Dad gonna be here, Mom?” Adam sounded excited.

 

“He said he’d be landing in JFK around six. I’ll be picking him up once I drop Annemarie off. Please make sure you’re home tonight, Adam. Your dad wants to see you.”

 

He looked as if she’d told him he was headless, “Mom, of  _ course  _ I’m staying home! It’s  _ Dad _ ! It’s gonna be awesome!”

 

The pit began to form in Annemarie’s stomach and her appetite dwindled as she pushed her plate away, leaving half a waffle and one sausage left.

 

It didn’t go unnoticed, “Feeling full, sweetie?” Wendy asked.

 

Annemarie gave a small smile, “Y--yeah...I’m gonna get going, I’m gonna meet my friend MJ for some Spanish tutoring... “ She got out of her chair, hugged Adam and kissed her mother before grabbing her bag, “Bye!”

 

“I’ll pick you up after practice!” Wendy waved, “Love you!”

 

“Later, dumpling!” Adam called.

 

Just as she closed the apartment door behind her, Annemarie breathed a sigh of relief, her chest no longer feeling as tight as it did before.

 

\---

 

The first bell rang just as MJ and Annemarie finished their first study session in the library. Annemarie found MJ was tough, but she explained things well enough for her to understand. Spanish didn’t seem nearly as difficult now, and they’d also shared a laugh sneaking breakfast into the library. MJ had provided them with granola bars and chocolate milk, and was surprisingly warm and friendlier than usual. Now, they were off to English, taking a detour for Annemarie to get to her locker.

 

They were innocently gabbing away about Mr. Friedman and the next Shakespeare play,  _ Othello _ , when Annemarie spotted Peter, stuffing his bag quietly in his locker. She stopped dead in her tracks, her heart plummeting to her feet. Oh, no. What could she do? Annemarie weighed the options. Her sudden silence didn’t go unnoticed by MJ.

 

“What’s up with you?” MJ frowned. When she spotted Peter, she rolled her eyes, “It’s just Parker. What, you guys get into a fight or something?”

 

_ Should I just go up there and put my bags away and ignore him? Or should I wait until he leaves and risk being late to class? I’m not ready to talk to him yet! What if he’s still mad at me? What if-- _

 

Annemarie flinched when MJ opened her mouth, called, “Peter!” 

 

He turned, frowned when MJ grinned wickedly and flashed him the middle finger in greeting. However, when his eyes met Annemarie’s, he took a deep breath, bit his lip and began to move towards her--

 

\--she whirled around and opted to take the long way to class, MJ shooting Peter a look before quickly following her. “Annemarie! Wait up!”

 

Peter merely stood in the middle of the hallway, his heart heavy at watching her walk away from him. 

 

\---

 

It was during Computer Science (a class she shared with no one she recognized except Abraham), that Annemarie finally got to talk to Peter. 

 

In fact, he was the one who pushed it, appearing at the classroom’s back door, where Annemarie sat. She briefly looked up to spot him, holding a hall pass in one hand and gesturing for her to come outside with the other. His eyes were bright, pleading. However, not wanting to get in trouble, Annemarie shook her head and tried to resume learning Microsoft Excel. He tapped loud enough for her to hear. 

 

Annemarie shot a glare before shaking her head again. At one last tap, she looked up.

 

“Please?” He mouthed.

 

She looked from the teacher, absently watching something on his own laptop, to Peter, still waiting for her. She sighed, raised her hand, “Mr. Simmons, may I use the bathroom?”

 

“Just make sure to bring the hall pass back,” Simmons mumbled without looking up. Annemarie rose, grabbed the pass and stepped outside, where Peter waited for her. He leaned against the wall, a stray strand of hair falling in his face. For a split second, he actually looked pretty cute. Annemarie quickly dismissed that thought before opting to remain on the defense, crossing her arms and asking, “What do you want, Peter? You should be in class.”

 

He winced at her stern tone. “I...I remembered you had Computer Science down the hall from where I have Spanish...and I couldn't just leave everything like it is...so...I figured...we could talk?”

 

She frowned, “Now?”

 

“Were you really gonna talk to me in Chemistry? Or lunch? Or Algebra?” He prodded.

 

She opted against answering those questions, merely watched him. Peter sighed, blurted it out, “What I said to you was shitty and I shouldn't have said it and I'm sorry. I...I made you cry. And it was horrible and I’m so sorry. If you hate me, then that's fine and I totally deserve it, but I figured...I mean...I want us to be friends again so…” He trailed off, looked at his feet.

 

There was a pause before she spoke. 

 

“Yeah. What you said  _ was _ really shitty.” Annemarie deadpanned, her hurt feelings becoming a wall of bitter anger. Despite Spider-Man’s great advice, her anger and hurt still affected her, made her lash out. She thought of Peter’s hurtful words, and a dark part of her wanted nothing more than to hurt him back. “And I  _ should _ hate you for saying it because I felt like garbage. I  _ trusted _ you when I told you about Spider-Man and me. And you threw it back in my face by making me  _ question my friendship with him _ and that’s horrible, Peter Parker. It’s cruel and it’s mean.” 

 

He winced again at her biting words. 

 

“But…” she sighed, “...he brought up a point. And  _ yes _ , I told him what you said,” she snapped before continuing, “He said you were just trying to look out for me. And...I  _ want _ to believe that. I really do. Because you were my first real friend here. But right now, all I’m thinking is how I'm now questioning my friendship with you.” Despite her anger, hurt tears filled her eyes, “How could you say that to me?” Her voice cracked.

 

“I’m sorry. I never should’ve said it. But you can _ trust _ me, Annemarie.” He whispered after a long pause. “I...I know what I said was wrong. I didn't mean it. I...I was angry and I took it out on you. I--I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this. You're one of my closest friends...aside from Ned, but...you know what I mean…”

 

Annemarie sighed, wiped her eyes. As she did so, she spoke, “Okay, Peter. I forgive you.” Upon wiping the last of her tears away, she suddenly pointed at him, narrowed her eyes, 

 

“But if you  _ ever _ say anything like that to me again, we will absolutely  _ not  _ be friends anymore. Got it?”

 

He nodded, surprised at her sudden bold words. “Y--yeah. I promise n--not to say that ever again.” He lifted a hand, raised his pinky. “I'll swear on it.”

 

She bit her lip before linking her pinky with his. “Okay.”

 

They both paused, their pinkies linked together. She looked up to meet his eyes. He looked earnest, clearly remorseful.  _ Still very cute. _ Annemarie shuddered, quickly pulled away. “We need to get back to class.”

 

“Y--yeah…” Peter moved to leave, but he stopped, frowning, as if debating on whether to say something else. Finally, he turned back to face her. His eyes never left hers as he admitted,

 

“He’d be an idiot if he didn’t notice you, Annemarie.”

 

The heat rose to her cheeks then, and her heart began to race as she murmured, “P--Peter, you don’t have to--!”

 

“No, I feel like I do,” He shook his head, stubborn, “You’re really cool and loyal. I--I think Spider-Man’s lucky to have someone like you in his corner. Really lucky. You--you don’t give yourself enough credit, Anne. You’re way more kickass than you think.” He chuckled, briefly looked at his feet before giving her a wave, “I’ll see you in Chemistry?”

 

The butterflies soared in her belly then, and she swallowed, gave a small smile, “Yep. Let me help on the project this time?”

 

He nodded, “Sure.”

 

He was halfway down the hall when Annemarie remembered, “Peter!”

 

He stopped, “Yeah?”

 

“You’ll...you’ll come to my game right?” She asked, hopeful.

 

He gave her a grin that made her heart flutter strangely, “I’ll be there.”

 

She went back to class and took her seat, continuing her assignment and trying to shake off the strange, fluttery feeling in her gut.


	24. Weak Freak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANOTHER UPDATE IN LESS THAN A WEEK. Sorry, but an idea came to me and it was too good to ignore! Hope you guys enjoy!

Liz Allan was not having a good afternoon. Only after writing a proposal considering the theme for the next Homecoming dance, she discovered how conveniently  _ none  _ of the volleyball team was coming to her house for the weekend sleepover save for Betty and Annemarie. Each of them had some sort of silly excuse, and Liz wasn’t stupid. She was all right with the first two excuses only to confront the rest of the team when they each came up with some nonsense. She knew the truth, and none of them wanted to admit it:  _ “We aren’t hanging out with that loser you keep inviting everywhere.”  _

 

When Betty ultimately presented a stupid excuse regarding her pet hamster, Liz was already annoyed as is. She huffed, contemplated cancelling before deciding she’d simply have fun with Annemarie and hang out with her on her own. She texted her father to let him know the change in plans, changed out of her volleyball uniform and walked down the aisles of lockers until she found Annemarie, who’d just finished changing and was putting on her hat. Upon seeing her, Annemarie stopped, gave a small smile and wave.

 

“Great job at practice today!” Liz gushed, “You have  _ such  _ amazing form! So, your mom’s totally cool with my dad picking us up, right?”

 

Annemarie nodded, “Yeah...my whole family’s coming on Sunday, so...I guess they’ll be meeting your parents, too…” She frowned upon seeing Liz was on her own, “Um...where is everyone?”

 

Liz rolled her eyes, sighed, “They each have some weird emergencies. They’re gonna just meet us at the game on Sunday.”

 

Annemarie’s heart fell in guilt. Of course the other girls hadn’t accepted her yet. Even Betty, Liz’s most loyal lackey, didn’t seem to like Annemarie very much. However, she could only imagine how much Liz had prepared for the weekend. “I’m sorry,” She whispered, “I ruined your plans.”

 

Liz waved a dismissive hand, “Oh, please. It’s whatever, you know? We’ll just have fun by ourselves! More pizza and popcorn for us! And we can go shopping tomorrow at the mall!” She gave a reassuring smile. “Ready to go?”

 

Annemarie almost envied how Liz didn’t seem to mind her plans being ruined. She half-expected her to be angry, tell Annemarie how much of a loser she was for scaring off her friends.  _ She really is perfect...I wish I could be that laid-back about everything.  _ “Sure.”

 

Liz didn’t seem to mind the stares from other team members as they walked down the hall, arm-in-arm (much to Annemarie’s surprise) as if they’d been friends for years. When Liz pushed the school doors open, Annemarie was surprised to find a black car waiting for them, and a man leaning against it, smiling and waving. His hair was thin, white, and his eyes were a kind blue as he called out, “Hey, gumdrop!”

 

“Hi, Daddy!” Liz moved to hug him, where he planted a kiss on her hair and took her bag from her, hoisting it over his shoulder. Annemarie watched them in quiet wonder, a strange part of her admiring how Liz’s dad seemed to not be so pushy with her. He was kind and gave affection without making it ridiculously weird and embarrassing. 

 

Liz pulled away, gestured to Annemarie, “Dad, this is Annemarie. She’s the  _ best  _ player on the team.”

 

“So this is the star player,” He gave a friendly smile, extended a hand, “what a pleasure to finally meet you, Annemarie.”

 

Annemarie shyly took his hand, shook it, “H--hello, it’s nice to meet you, sir…”

 

He chuckled, gave a dismissive wave, similar to Liz from earlier, “Hey, no need to be formal. Mr. Toomes’ll be just fine.”

 

“Dad, that’s  _ way  _ more formal,” Liz rolled her eyes. 

 

“What? If she’s staying with us for the weekend, we need to make sure she’s comfortable!” Toomes shrugged, gave a laugh, “Come on, let’s get you girls home. I’ll take your bag, Annemarie.”

 

It wasn’t long before they were in the car, Liz opting to sit in the back with Annemarie so as not to make her feel alone and excluded. The rush-hour traffic was just setting in, making the trip slower than anticipated. As they stopped in front of another red light, Toomes decided to ask,

 

“So, what grade are you in again, Annemarie?”

 

“Oh...I’m a sophomore, Mr. Toomes.” Annemarie answered quietly.

 

“Annemarie moved here in September from California,” Liz interjected excitedly, scrolling through her phone, “She’s from Orange County.”

 

Toomes nodded, “Cali, huh? I’ve been there a few times. Y’know, for business and all. What was it like growing up there?”

 

Annemarie shrugged, “It’s...okay, I guess. I actually like New York better than Cali.”

 

“New York gal!” Toomes nodded in approval, “I like that! So what are your plans after high school?”

 

“Dad, she has more than enough time to figure it out,” Liz reprimanded, but Annemarie oddly didn’t mind. Liz’s dad seemed nice and friendly, not like her own father. She ignored the pit in her stomach at that thought, answered honestly, “I’m not sure. I’m part of the school newspaper and I really like that, so I’m thinking of maybe pursuing journalism. But I also really like animal biology and might pursue a career in that. A big dream of mine would be working with Dr. Curt Connors.”

 

“Nice! It’s good to have plans. Hey, isn’t Connors that guy who’s got those reptile documentaries on TV?”

 

“Yes,” She grinned, only to remember, “Um...actually, I have to go to his class tomorrow at nine in the morning.” 

 

Liz averted her gaze from her phone, “Why?”

 

“I’m...my brother’s struggling in his class, so Dr. Connors lets me crash his course on Saturday at the university so I can take better notes and help him out. I’ve never missed a lecture.” Annemarie explained.

 

“You seriously get to crash a  _ college  _ course?” Liz gazed at her in awe, “ _ So  _ cool!”

 

“See,  _ that’s  _ discipline.” Toomes grinned, “My wife and I are usually up early, so we’ll have no issues driving you to the university tomorrow morning.”

 

“N--no, Mr. Toomes, I don’t want to intrude…”

 

“Please, it’s no problem at all! You’re our guest, and we’re more than happy to take you to your class.” 

 

“And then we can totally go shopping!” Liz gushed, “Dad, can we go to the mall tomorrow?”

 

“Sure, gumdrop.” 

 

Annemarie felt an odd sense of comfort as Toomes and Liz discussed plans for the weekend. Liz seemed far nicer than she suspected, and she was at ease sitting in the car with her dad, who seemed personable and much cooler.  _ Not like mine.  _ There was a temporary pang of sadness at the thought as she pulled out her phone to shoot a text to her mother, letting her know she was safe and sound. The next person she texted was Peter, who’d spent his time in the robotics lab on the days she had volleyball practice. Usually he would wait for her and they’d head home together (unless he had to rush off on some emergency, which was happening a lot more lately). She wrote  _ i’m in the car with liz now. hoping your robotics project is going well. anne xo _

 

He responded almost instantaneously,  _ i’ve built an uncontrollable AI. call the terminator. _

 

She smiled widely at that,  _ wouldn’t that be worse? Lol. what r u doing now? _

 

_ On my way home. Kinda lonely on the train here w.o. u. :( _

 

Her cheeks inadvertently heated up at that, and the fluttery feelings returned. She paused, thought on a suitable response. After a moment, she finally wrote,  _ i’ll be taking the train with you after practice on monday. Back to normal real soon :)  _

 

_ Still gotta do our wrath of khan weekend. U free next weekend? _

 

_ As long as it’s Star Trek, i’m a happy girl.  _

 

_ I’ll keep that in mind. gotta make sure u don’t cry again.  _

 

“Who are you talking to?” Liz’s sly voice brought Annemarie out of her little bubble. She turned, found Liz eyeing her teasingly. They had already arrived, the car parked in the garage, Mr. Toomes already out and removing the bags from the trunk. Annemarie felt her cheeks heat up further. “Um...just letting my mom know I’m with you guys and I’m okay…”

 

“Mm-hmm,” Liz grinned, clearly not believing her but choosing not to address it just yet as they got out, following Mr. Toomes to the front of Liz’s house.

 

Whatever Annemarie expected, this certainly wasn’t it. Liz’s house was large, luxurious, gorgeously built with lots of windows and even a balcony. It was vastly different from their small apartment in Brooklyn. Annemarie found herself gaping at it awkwardly like a fish.

 

“Welcome to our home, Annemarie!” Toomes swung open the front door, where Annemarie was greeted by perfectly polished hardwood floors, silver accents and a staircase with a huge skylight overlooking it. Emerging from the kitchen (gorgeously finished with a rustic kitchen island in the middle of the room), was a smiling, dark-skinned woman with open arms, clearly excited.

 

“You must be Annemarie! I’m Liz’s mother, but you can just call me Doris. Liz has told us so much about you!” She gave Annemarie a hug, which she didn’t refuse. “I just finished making you girls some snacks. I hope you like mozzarella sticks...if not, no worries, I’ll prepare something else!”

 

Annemarie studied the entire family, each giving her welcoming smiles. She took a deep breath, felt no tension as she smiled, 

 

“I love mozzarella sticks.”

 

\---

 

Peter found himself staring at her contacts picture far longer than usual as he sat at the edge of the abandoned warehouse overlooking Manhattan. He had finished a nightly patrol, but didn’t quite want to go home just yet. Instead, he was sending her texts. Annemarie’s replies were sporadic, he assumed she was probably having fun with Liz. His heart fluttered at the thought of Liz, but yet he found himself smiling at the contacts picture Annemarie had assigned for herself: her in her bowler, winking at the camera with a cheeky smile and holding up the peace sign. She’d put her name as simply  _ Anne _ , with two sparkling heart emojis on either side of it. It was so quintessentially  _ her  _ that Peter couldn’t help but miss her at that moment, wanting nothing more than to be at her fire escape gabbing away about his hopes, his dreams, and how he wanted to go beyond being a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. 

 

He chanced another message as the clock struck ten o’clock that night.  _ Hope ur having an awesome time w. Liz. _

 

Surprisingly, her answer came quickly,  _ it’s been great! Liz and i watched clueless (which i actually really liked), and we were doing pedicures while watching it, it was great. It’s a shame the rest of the team didn’t come, but i’m having fun. shouldn’t u be asleep??  _

 

He took a deep breath, wrote back,  _ can’t sleep. got a lot on my mind. _

 

Immediately,  _ r u ok??  _

 

His heart swelled at her concern.  _ i’m good. just got a lot of energy, i guess.  _

 

_ well, if u need to talk, i’m here. liz is already asleep. i could probably use the bathroom and call.  _

 

Peter hesitated as he slowly typed,  _ i miss you  _ before quickly deleting his words without sending them. He couldn’t say that to her. Not only would it be super creepy and weird to say, but it wasn’t like she was gone forever. She was coming back Sunday night after the game, where he could freely visit her once more. Instead, he wrote,  _ u should probably get some sleep, too. u had a long day. _

 

He sighed, watched the city lights as he buried his hands under his arms in an attempt to remain warm in the cool night air. He started when he felt his phone vibrate, signifying she had texted him once more.

 

_ u get some sleep too ok?? gnight pete. don’t let the bedbugs bite.  _

 

He snorted, wrote back,  _ gnight anne.  _

 

He sighed, rose to his feet, stuffed his phone in his pocket as he mumbled to no one,

 

“It’s me, Anne. I’m...S--Spider-Man…”

 

He shook his head in disgust at his own words and shot out a web, ready for his journey home. 

 

\---

 

The lights were beaming down upon them, hotter than anything else in the gymnasium of Westchester High. Her hair was up in a high ponytail and she tugged at her jersey, stood proudly next to Liz, who gave her sly eyes and mouthed, “We got this!”

 

Annemarie heard the roars of applause, smiled and took a deep breath as, for the first time in a very long time, she felt as if she were home. Despite the heat, there was nowhere else she would rather be. It was time to kick ass, just like Peter and Ned always said to her. There was a competitive streak in her now as she appraised the opposing team across the net, the fire in her heart burning bright.

 

There was a sudden loud cheer, and Annemarie recognized Adam’s voice. She turned to the crowd to find him. Find him, her mother, Ned, and Peter. Hopefully MJ managed to make her way up.

 

Instead, her heart dropped at the empty bleachers, save for one clapping audience member. She inherited his hair, his nose, and according to her mother, his ears. He looked exactly the same way he was when they left him at the airport, on their flight to New York back in July. He was even in the same outfit. That same pink polo, the dark jeans, and the work boots, aviator sunglasses draped over the shirt collar. He was smiling, proudly whooping, but Annemarie didn’t feel at all comforted. 

 

“There’s my girl! Go on, Annie! You’ve got this!” He cheered. The more he cheered, the less confident Annemarie felt. Her competitive fire burned out, and suddenly she was alone in the gymnasium, with only her father cheering her on. 

 

She took a few hesitant steps backwards, her shoes squeaking uncomfortably on the polished wooden floor. Her father continued applauding as if he hadn’t noticed her moving, still calling out, “That’s my girl! That’s my Annie Apple!” 

 

She hit something, stumbled and fell hard on her bottom, yet felt no pain. It seemed the minute she turned to find him in the bleachers was also the exact minute her eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from him. She felt the tears fill her eyes, and she tried to say, “Daddy. Please stop. You’re embarrassing me.”

 

But he didn’t seem to hear her, still cheering and clapping and all of it echoed, rang in her ears. Suddenly Spider-Man appeared beside her, hanging upside down on a web.

 

“You’re really lucky, you know?” He said, “Your dad’s really awesome!”

 

He suddenly clapped her hard on the back, proud, “Way to go, Annie Apple.”

 

It sickened her coming from him. She scrambled away, covered her ears, “N--no...don’t call me that...it’s embarrassing,  _ stop _ …”

 

The cheers from her father were so loud, it was overwhelming. She huddled into a ball, began to cry. “Please stop...I just want to play the game…”

 

And then Annemarie was quickly sitting up, surrounded by pink walls and makeup and girly accessories and Liz Allan lightly snoring in her bed, looking gorgeous even while asleep. There was a heaviness in her chest that she never quite felt before, and Annemarie rested a cold, clammy hand over the flannel of her pajama top. It didn’t relieve her and she tried stuffing her hand under the fabric. Her hand felt like an ice pack over her burning chest, but it did nothing to alleviate the weight. The sick, bitter cinderblock sitting in her chest, wrapping around her heart in electrifying vines. Her breath came labored, and her logical mind recognized the symptoms. 

 

“No...nonononono,  _ not _ here…” She moaned, burying her face in her hands as she struggled to breathe. “Please... _ pleasepleasepleaseplease _ …” she whispered, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn’t possibly wake Liz. Besides, she would probably freak out and ask her to go home. She tried to remain rooted in logic, thought about her last incident. It surprised her how long it had been: the last time she had difficulty breathing was back in August, the first week after they had settled into their new apartment. August 3rd. Annemarie forced herself to remember the current date, tried to count the days in an attempt to stay calm.

 

She only panicked further upon realizing it had been a whopping  _ 98 days  _ since her last freak-out. She scrambled out of the air mattress Liz’s parents had generously provided, phone in hand. She was as quiet as possible tiptoeing down the hallway to the bathroom, where she turned on the light, closed and locked the door with a final  _ click,  _ only to collapse miserably on the fluffy white bathroom carpet, crying her eyes out but struggling not to make a single sound. She chastised herself,  _ you weak idiot! 98 days without any freak-outs and you freak out NOW of all times! Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!  _

 

_ 98 days without incident. _

 

She slammed her fist on the hard tile, angry with herself as she viciously whispered through gritted teeth,  _ “Zero days without incident. Weak! _ ”

 

She remained curled up in the fetal position on the Allan-Toomes’ bathroom floor, crying until she no longer could. She was blankly staring at the small white wastebasket in the corner when her phone vibrated, brought her back to reality. She numbly gripped her phone tighter, and when it vibrated again she was sitting up and unlocking her phone to find--surprisingly--a text from Peter.

 

_ ur probably not gonna see this until you get up in the morning, but i saw this really cute puppy on my way home. forgot to tell u. his name was ronnie and his owner let me play w. him for a bit before they had to get off the train. he was so awesome anne. i got a pic. i’ll send it to u in the morning.  _

 

She started at the time, reading 2:27 in  the morning. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Annemarie wished that she was with Spider-Man. Talking with him always made her feel calm. Yes, maybe that was why she was freaking out. It was a break from her routine. Annemarie tried to convince herself that was all it was, only feeling more alone than ever in the tiny bathroom. With a shaky hand, she hovered over Peter’s name, finally pressing the call button. 

 

It wasn’t until the phone was pressed to her ear that she realized just how silly she was being.  _ What am I doing?! He’s gonna think I’m weird just randomly calling him this late at-- _

 

“Hello?” 

 

His voice quieted the racing thoughts in her head, mostly because she was humiliated at even calling him at such an unreasonable hour. “I--s--sorry, I pressed call by accident,” she lied, “...I--I’ll just let you go to sleep…”

 

She waited for him to hang up, only to instead hear, “What are you doing up?”

 

“Had to pee,” she shrugged, giving a lame chuckle. “Uh--t--that dog sounds super cute...you can send me the pic now, if you want…”

 

There was a pause before he suddenly asked, “Are you okay?”

 

The question hit her hard. Fresh tears filled her eyes, and her mouth curled into that frown once again. She struggled to keep her voice steady as she gave a watery smile, “Yeah. I’m great. I’m sorry I b--bothered you. G--Go to sleep, okay? It’s late and s--statistically, people who stay up late tend to have more medical issues in li--!”

 

“You’re not nervous about the game, are you?” He sounded so concerned, it almost broke her heart. Annemarie wished she could tell him. Tell Ned.Tell Adam. Tell MJ. Tell everyone she cared about. Instead, she could only choke out, “Y--yeah...y’know, first game, I just don’t--wanna mess it up, you know?”

 

“You’re not gonna mess it up, Annemarie,” he whispered, “don’t put so much pressure on yourself, okay? You’re gonna be awesome.”

 

She swallowed several urges to choke out a sob. “Y--you think so?”

 

“I know so,” he said with conviction. “Now get some sleep, okay? Don’t you go to Connors’ class at nine?”

 

That thought also soothed her. “Y--yeah. You’re right...thank you, Peter.”

 

“You’ll be fine, Anne. Besides, your good luck charm’ll be there,” he joked. 

 

“Who? Ned?” She teased, laughing despite her loneliness.

 

“Ha, ha, very funny. I’ll have you know I’m a charged atom. I’ve got my  _ ion  _ you.” 

 

She snorted, giggled, “That was lame.”

 

“But you’re not thinking about the game anymore, are you?”

 

“No...I’ll just be thinking about that stupid pun.” She closed her eyes, allowed herself to feel warm. “...Good night, Peter.”

 

“Night, Anne.”

 

“...Thanks again…”

 

“No problem.”

 

It wasn’t until she hung up, phone in her lap and a content smile on her face, that it hit her in the intimacy of the late night hour. Why she felt stupidly fluttery around Peter. Why she couldn’t bring herself to even think about her crush on Spider-Man. Why she thought Peter was cute. Why she felt a twinge of sadness knowing Peter’s growing crush on the gorgeous, kind senior sleeping down the hall. 

 

“Oh,” she whispered to the empty room, resting a hand over her fluttery heart.

 

This complicated things.

 

\---

 

He was too antsy to sleep. He’d tried only to give up at midnight, finding himself in full Spidey getup swinging around the city at night. He hadn’t realized how long he’d been out until he’d gotten her call. She had sounded so sad, so forlorn. Peter wished she wouldn’t pressure herself so much. Maybe that was why she wouldn’t eat a lot--she was always so stressed out. He absently made a note to help her with that, possibly bring it up somehow in his next visit as Spidey. Maybe if Peter Parker couldn’t help her, he could at least try as Spider-Man. 

 

He found another daisy, brought it to her fire escape. Despite knowing she wasn’t home, he thought perhaps leaving her a little gift would lift her spirits when she got back. When he leaned in, he was surprised to find her window open. Annemarie often closed her window whenever he left. Maybe she’d forgotten? He poked his head in, quietly placed the daisy on her desk. He hoped to find another one the following night. Maybe make a proper bouquet this time?

 

It wasn’t until he moved to leave that he realized he wasn’t alone. Peter sharply looked up, and his heart stopped, he froze at the sight of a much taller person, a person he recognized in the moonlight as Annemarie’s brother, Adam. 

 

Adam merely stood there with wide eyes and an even wider mouth.

 

“Holy  _ shit _ ,” he uttered.

 

_ Busted. _


	25. Man To Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've yet another update for now, as the holidays are fast approaching and my job will be giving me many more hectic hours and I'll only be sleeping on the days I've got off. For now, enjoy the update everyone! I love all your support and feedback.

Compared to his sister’s notes, Adam’s were a clustered, scattered, scribbly mess. However, it was in ways he could understand thanks to his sister’s color coding of notes. She did a color key on the bottom with which color pen wrote which colored notes. Blue was standard (according to her,  _ most likely to be on tests! _ ). Red were direct references to documentaries or other cited material ( _ pg 349 in textbook, ‘Astounding Flight of the Gecko’, watch/read these! _ ). Finally, green were fun facts that Annemarie personally enjoyed ( _ fascinating tidbits! _ ). Adam would fondly chuckle as he read her notes, often wondered how he was so lucky. Annemarie was much smarter compared to him, he thought. She was fun, bubbly, enjoyed learning. New York had proven to be a much better environment for her, and she hadn’t relapsed once. Her appetite, on the other hand, was still hit or miss. Adam was thankful he told their mother not to find another doctor. “ _ Let her feel it out for herself. I think Anne just needs a change of scenery, maybe.” _

 

Granted, she still had her weird quirks. She still preferred pineapples on pizza. She wouldn’t touch soda. And occasionally every night, Adam would hear her talking to herself in her bedroom. He would hear bits and pieces before heading to his room, safely assuming she was just thinking out loud. Maybe she was doing homework. Maybe she was preparing her outfits for school the next day. Either way, Adam didn’t think any less of Annemarie.

 

He went to return her notes and leave them safely on her desk until she got back from her little slumber party. Problem was, Adam also found the source of her conversations looming over her desk from her open window (she left it open, claimed her room got stuffy if the windows were closed too long). 

 

He was nothing like the fuzzy, grainy video footage his friends would share with him from YouTube. His costume was shabby, but nevertheless, Adam could only stare, the shock filling him as he realized  _ Spider-Man was in his sister’s bedroom.  _

 

Despite wearing a mask and goggles, he imagined Spider-Man was just as surprised as him, as he remained frozen, a hand still looming over the little flower he’d dropped on Annemarie’s desk. 

 

“Holy  _ shit, _ ” Adam muttered, the shock dying down to a strange, bubbling anger as it finally hit him just  _ who  _ Annemarie had been talking to for the past few months.  _ Months.  _ Spider-Man. Spider- _ Man.  _ As in a  _ man.  _ God only knew what the hell this asshole was telling her. What he was  _ doing.  _ Oh, no. Adam clenched his fists, glared at the intruder.

 

A part of him wanted to cry out, call his mother into the room. Ultimately, he decided against it. It was probably best he handled this. Wendy didn’t need to know about this. It would stress her out. She would probably even call the police. His father, on the other hand, would be far worse. He would make sure Spider-Man never came back, crunch down on Annemarie, probably even remove her bedroom lock and put bars on her windows. 

 

Not particularly liking the idea of both parents making a big deal (and potentially having his sister slip back into her old ways), Adam figured it was best he handled this. Handle it quietly, ask him to leave, and hopefully none would be the wiser. His number one priority was Annemarie, and he would do whatever he could to protect her.

 

However, as the masked hero finally realized he’d been caught, he scrambled to leave, banging his head on the open window, groaning in pain as he tried to crawl out.

 

“No,” Adam blurted out, causing Spider-Man to freeze. He raised a finger, kept his voice firm, “Don’t you  _ dare  _ leave.”

 

Spider-Man merely stared, and Adam continued,

 

“I caught you. The least you can do is stay. Face me like a man. Maybe even tell me just what the hell is going on here.”

 

Still no reply, and Adam tried again,

 

“Look, if you just tell me what the hell you’re doing in my sister’s room, I won’t call our parents in here right now. Your choice.”

 

He wasn’t actually going to do it, but hopefully it would scare the masked hero into staying. Sure enough, it did. Spider-Man sighed, opened the window further so he could crawl into her room. By the time he was on his feet, Adam ordered, “Close the window.”

 

He turned, slowly did so.

 

“Latch it.”

 

He did that as well. 

 

“Move so you’re not near the window. I don’t want you trying any tricks.”

 

Spider-Man did that as well, slowly moving further away from the window and closer to Annemarie’s closet. Satisfied with that, Adam kept his eyes on him as he held a finger to his lips and quietly closed her bedroom door behind them, locking it. He then watched, crossed his arms, and began,

 

“Who are you?”

 

Spider-Man hesitated before mumbling, “S--Spider-Man.”

 

His voice sounded young, perhaps still going through puberty.  _ That  _ narrowed it down. Although, Adam wasn’t sure if it bothered him that Spider-Man was just a kid, “Doesn’t answer my question. I mean  _ who  _ are you?”

 

Silence. Adam tried not to lose his patience, tried not to cross the room and grab the little punk by his collar and demand answers. He sighed, “Does she know who you are?”

 

The boy shook his head. 

 

_ That  _ surprised him. “So...you mean to tell me, my sister doesn’t know who you are, where you came from, and she’s been sneaking you into her room for  _ months _ ?” The anger returned. 

 

Nothing.

 

“What the hell have you been doing with my sister?” Adam growled, “She’s  _ fifteen,  _ for God’s sakes, do you have  _ any  _ idea how sweet and naive she is--?”

 

“--s--stop,” Spider-Man finally stammered out, holding up his hands. Adam stopped, though he still glared at him. “I--I haven’t done anything to her. I swear.”

 

“Then what the hell are you doing in here?”

 

“I...I just wanted to give her something.”

 

“What?”

 

“J--just a flower. S--she likes daisies, s--so...I--figured I’d…leave her one…”

 

The kid sounded terrified, but Adam wasn’t letting him off easy. “How long have you been seeing her?”

 

“S--since September.”

 

_ Holy shit.  _ “You’re fucking kidding me.” Adam ran a hand through his hair, began pacing in an attempt to calm himself down. No wonder she was always in a rush to finish dinner. No wonder she was all smiles first thing in the morning. “Jesus  _ Christ _ …”

 

“S--sir, Annemarie and I are j--just friends, I swear,” Spider-Man stammered out, “I--it just happened. W--we don’t do anything, we just talk…I swear, we just talk…”

 

“ _ She’s never seen your face and you guys have just been TALKING for almost three months?!?!”  _ Adam hissed, “Do you have any idea what the hell you’re doing?! She’s my  _ sister _ !”

 

He didn’t respond, merely hung his head guiltily. 

 

“How did you meet her?” Adam demanded. “Don’t you  _ dare  _ fucking lie to me, either.”

 

“I saved her once,” Spider-Man quickly answered, “f--from burglars. Robbing jewelry. One of them took her as a hostage and--and I saved her.”

 

She never told him that. Adam felt a pit in his stomach as he wondered just how much Annemarie was keeping from him. “Why are you seeing her?”

 

“I...I just...she’s my friend…” he mumbled helplessly.

 

This wasn’t going anywhere. It was only serving to piss Adam off further. He sighed, “You have no idea what she’s been through, okay? She’s--she’s come a long way since she moved here. She’s doing  _ so  _ much better for herself. And I’m  _ not  _ letting you ruin that for her. You need to leave. And I don’t want you to ever see my sister again.”

 

What shocked him was Spider-Man’s nervous answer, “I...I can’t do that.”

 

Adam’s eyebrows shot up, “Excuse me?”

 

“I--I can’t...I…” Spider-Man lowered his hood, but kept the mask on as he continued, his voice firmer than before, 

 

“If I leave, it’ll hurt her. Believe me, I’ve tried. And the truth is, I’ve promised her I wouldn’t hurt her again. I know what this looks like, and I know you’re justifiably pissed off, but I...I really do care about her. And I don’t want to hurt her.”

 

Adam merely stared, shocked. Finally, he blurted out, “You’ve got guts, kid.”

 

Spider-Man didn’t reply. 

 

He sighed, ran his hands through his hair again. After a long pause, Adam spoke,

 

“You haven’t done anything to my sister?”

 

“No. We talk. And that’s all we do. I--I’ve never even k--!” he stopped, looked at his feet. 

 

“If you really care about Annemarie, then you should tell her who you really are.” 

 

The words rang true, fed Peter’s guilt as he realized how little Annemarie actually knew about him. “I...I have to keep her safe.”

 

“So your idea of keeping her safe is keeping her in the dark?”

 

No reply.

 

Adam closed his eyes, knew he had to make a decision on what to do, and fast. Spider-Man didn’t  _ seem  _ to be a threat. But was it wise to wait until he was? How was he going to walk past Annemarie’s room and  _ not  _ know she was spending time with a boy? How could he not resist the urge to tell their parents? But yet, as he thought of his sister and how much better she’d been lately, he came to a decision.

 

“I’m not going to tell anyone you were here,” he muttered, ignored how the boy sighed in relief. “But you have to promise me one thing. As a man. Can you do that?”

 

When the masked boy nodded, Adam wasted no time,

 

“You keep my sister safe. I don’t care how you do it. I don’t care what it takes. You protect her when I can’t. Even if you have to stop seeing her. Is that clear?”

 

There was a long pause before Spider-Man nodded, “I’ll keep her safe.”

 

“You keep your enemies away from her.”

 

Nod.

 

“If she’s ever in the line of fire, you make sure you get her the hell out of it. And that’s  _ before _ I kick your ass for endangering her. Got it?”

 

Nod nod.

 

“I wanna hear you say it,” Adam demanded.

 

Spider-Man sighed, bravely spoke, “I promise to protect her. No matter what it takes.”

 

“One last thing.” Adam knew it was a risk, but it was worth a try, “Who are you?”

 

Nothing.

 

“Close to the chest. Fine. But you’ll protect her?”

 

Nod.

 

Adam sighed before slowly walking to the window, unlatching and opening it. The night breeze blew in, and he gestured to the fire escape. “Get the hell outta here. Before I change my mind and yell for my parents.”

 

The masked boy wasted no time, leaping across the room to the fire escape in a single bound. Before leaving, he turned, said, “Thank you.”

 

“I’m trusting you with my sister,” Adam snapped, “don’t make me regret it, punk.”

 

As he watched Spider-Man leave, Adam could only hope and pray he did the right thing.

 

_ Anne, what the hell did you get yourself into? _


	26. The Game of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM NOT DEAD. Happy 2018 everyone, and I'm really sorry for the radio silence for this long.
> 
> Work has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, along with a lot of health scares leading me to several doctor's appointments. Also I'm a tough little shit who hates everything she writes and constantly deletes and rewrites. But I'm finally awake, alive and ready to write again. Thanks for all of your continued support and I hope you guys continue on this journey with Peter and Anne and the rest of the gang. 
> 
> I'm also looking to write a comicverse version of Anne's story. If anyone's interested in reading that, say so in the comments and I'll get to writing that as well.
> 
> Oh, and kudos to whoever finds the Easter egg in this chapter. We've got the quiet before the storm here, everyone, because next chapter finally formally introduces a key character in Annemarie's life. Hope you guys enjoy and I love you all.

“And Miss Abbey!” Connors finished taking attendance, gave a respected nod and smile towards his star pupil, boldly sitting in the middle of the front row as usual. The adult students gave fond smiles, one of them even patting her on the back as Connors began his lesson on chameleons. Despite her lack of proper sleep, Annemarie did her best to pay attention, taking notes and trying not to focus on her growing feelings for Peter Parker.

 

It was a lost cause, and she knew it. Liz was gorgeous and kind and smart. Above all else, she was a senior. Annemarie knew even if she tried, she wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, her and Peter were friends. Would it do to potentially lose one of her only true friends here just because she got a stupid fluttery feeling? 

 

And what about Spidey? She huffed as she highlighted a particular fun fact in her binder for reference. Another lost cause most likely. A masked superhero like that? He probably had a whole other life away from her. Heck, he probably already had a girlfriend or something. That thought saddened her and she quickly dismissed it. No way he had a girlfriend. He certainly would have mentioned something by now if he did. Annemarie sighed as she continued scribbling notes and raising her hand to answer questions. Before she knew it, the lesson was over, and Connors was concluding his lecture.

 

“Remember everyone, this will be on the quiz next week. Please be sure to review and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to consult me. Have a wonderful weekend!”

 

As the rest of the class scrambled out, Annemarie followed her usual routine of approaching Connors’ desk. He expected it by now, gave a smile as he gathered his papers. “Miss Abbey, excellent work as usual.”

 

“How’s Adam been holding up?”

 

“He struggles a bit, but his comprehension is getting better. He did exceptionally well on last week’s quiz. Mr. Abbey has quite a future. He told me he wishes to be either in sports medicine or veterinary sciences. Although he doubts the latter due to picking up animal feces.” He chuckled at that, “Your brother is quite amusing.”

 

Annemarie nodded, “He's always been funny.”

 

“And what of you, Miss Abbey? How does school fare for you?” 

 

“It’s okay. I've got my first volleyball game tomorrow. I'm hoping we win. We’re going against Westchester High.” Annemarie felt a strange surge of excitement at the thought, something she never thought she would feel. “I just want Midtown to be the best!”

 

“I wish you luck,” Connors chuckled as they walked across campus. 

 

“I wish you could come, Dr. Connors,” Annemarie shyly admitted, “Then you could meet my friends.”

 

“I'm afraid I still have quite a bit of work of my own this weekend in terms of my research. But I will be thinking of you and sending my support your way.”

 

He stopped briefly to adjust his grip on some.papers that were slipping from under his arm. Annemarie opted to help, grabbing them before they fell. He mumbled a grateful thanks and they resumed their walk. It was a pleasant silence until Annemarie finally decided to speak.

 

“Dr. Connors?” 

 

“Yes, Miss Abbey?”

 

“Can I ask you a weird question?”

 

“I've heard a myriad of weird questions in my field of work.” He chuckled again. “But yes, what is it?”

 

“How do you...know if someone likes you? Like... _ like  _ likes you?” Annemarie shyly began picking at an imaginary speck on her bag. “I mean...I figured since you're a scientist, you could logically tell me…”

 

Dr. Connors paused for a moment as they stopped once again in front of the library. He opted to be honest, “Matters of the heart are quite fickle, I'm afraid. I'm assuming this concerns the very same friend you were talking about that wanted to keep you at arm’s length?”

 

Annemarie nodded, “He...we’re talking again. And no danger is involved. But I'm...I think I also really like my friend, Peter. He's...we go to school together. And he knows about me and this...other guy...but Peter is supportive and really sweet. The problem is, he likes this senior girl at my school. My volleyball team captain. And...I dunno. I just want to be sure before I choose which boy to leap with…so how do you know?”

 

Dr. Connors studied Annemarie, found her nervously twirling a strand of hair, biting her lip. He chuckled, but not out of jest. “Miss Abbey, you are in quite a conundrum. I can see why you're so troubled.”

 

“What about Mrs. Connors? How did you show you liked her?”

 

Dr. Connors was surprised at the question, but he answered, “Margaret? I was quite awkward, I'm afraid. I rambled to her about most of my research. What amazed me was how she listened. I'm not the best example, however. I was always flustered around her, so I'm sure she figured it out. 

 

“My advice to you, Miss Abbey, is to...well, first, do focus on your studies. When it comes to romance, there's plenty time for that...but you are indeed young and eager...sometimes we need to take a step back and pretend we are on the outside looking in. It's difficult to do. But it can perhaps put things into perspective. I'm certain whatever choice you make will be the right one. Be it this mystery man or your friend Peter.”

 

Annemarie nodded, hanging on to every word. “Thank you, Dr. Connors. I think that's what I'll do. Maybe one day you can meet Peter...he’s really good at science and he's smart. He's part of the decathlon!”

 

“Is he? Impressive. Perhaps I'll be fortunate enough to have him as one of my future students.” 

 

“He watches your documentaries, so maybe one day I'll have him pick me up. If you don't mind, that is…”

 

“I certainly don't. Perhaps one day.”

 

“One day soon!” Annemarie chirped, spotting Mr. Toomes’ car. “Oh, Dr. Connors, my ride is here...same time next weekend, right?”

 

“Of course. And good luck on your first game. I'll be cheering for Midtown.” Connors gave a grin, waved goodbye.

 

“Bye, Dr. Connors! And good luck with your research!” Annemarie waved before hurrying across the street and getting into the car.

 

“Hey, Annemarie! How was the lecture? Learn anything cool?” Mr. Toomes was all smiles and energy as he watched her buckle her seat belt. Annemarie gave a bright smile and met his gaze from the rearview mirror. “I sure did, Mr. Toomes! Dr. Connors is a great scientific mind! I can’t wait! I hope to be one of his students when I graduate!” She beamed, in a much happier mood than usual.

 

“You’re so lucky you get to work with  _ the  _ Curt Connors,” Liz remarked next to her, “If I were in your shoes, I don’t think I’d be able to speak at all!”

 

“All right, girls, where to next?” Mr. Toomes asked as they stopped at a red light.

 

“The mall, Daddy,” Liz spoke excitedly, “Annemarie and I can totally shop and we can hang out!”

 

“Shop?” Annemarie blinked in surprise, “I...I don’t know if--!”

 

“--you have  _ such  _ cute ideas with your outfits, I want pointers!” Liz chirped, “Can we go, Dad, please?”

 

“Sure, gumdrop. I’ll be in the food court until you guys are ready to go.”

 

\---

 

It was a tiny boutique in the furthest corner of the mall, but Liz was far too busy picking out two separate outfits. One of them was a blue sweater top with a matching plaid skirt. The other was a pink turtleneck with leggings. “Which one do you think is cutest?” She asked Annemarie, who blinked in confusion. “Um...Liz, you already dress up pretty nice, and I don’t think I’m the best person for the job in--!”

 

“--Anne, look at you! Seriously!” Liz gestured to Annemarie’s outfit: a flowy white top, black skirt, matching tights and boots, and of course, her hat. “You’re always  _ so  _ put together! I could use some help from you.”

 

Annemarie couldn’t believe  _ Liz  _ of all people found her put together.  _ Maybe I was wrong about her. Maybe she isn’t such a mean person after all… _

 

“Um...the blue would bring out your eyes.” she remarked quietly. “I think it would be super nice.”

 

“Great! I’m gonna try it on! And then we can pick out an outfit for you! Maybe there’s a  _ boy  _ you want to impress!” Liz winked before disappearing into the fitting rooms. Annemarie blinked, her cheeks heating up as she sat on the ottoman just outside, her nails gently picking lint off her tights. She jumped when she heard Liz ask, “So is there one?”

 

Annemarie furrowed her brow, “One what?”

 

“A boy?” Annemarie’s heart fell to her feet at Liz’s question. “Come on, it’s been a few months since you moved here, you’ve got to have one. Besides,” she heard the sly smile in Liz’s voice, “I saw you yesterday when we were driving to my place. You were on your phone just smiling like you won, like...a million dollars. Sooooo, who is he? What’s his name?”

 

Annemarie mentally smacked herself as she thought back to her innocent texts with Peter the day before. The last thing she needed was to tell Liz and overcomplicate things. So, she opted with go with the safest option,

 

“It’s nobody special. He’s just...some guy.”

 

Liz squealed in excitement before poking her head out from the curtain, her eyes wide in excitement, “What’s his name?”

 

_ I wish I knew. I can’t keep calling him Spidey forever.  _ “Um...his name...is…” Annemarie quickly blurted out the first name that popped into her head, “Ben.”

 

“Ben...does he go to our school?” Liz frowned, clearly trying to pinpoint the boy in question.

 

“Uh, no, he’s a...he goes to school further uptown. Like...in Harlem…”

 

“How did you guys meet?”

 

Annemarie wasn’t sure if she wanted to get into the gritty details. “Erm...he...saved me from...a mugging…”

 

“Ooh, your knight in shining armor! That is  _ so cuuuute _ !” Liz giggled before disappearing to change again. However, she still wasn’t done, “What does he look like? Blonde hair? Brown hair? Muscles?”

 

_ I have no idea.  _ Perhaps it was safe to describe a boy she already knew. Annemarie bit her lip as her thoughts traveled to Peter: sweet, cute, adorable Peter with his sweet smile and his kind eyes. “Um...b--brown hair...dark eyes...um...he’s...not super muscly, but I’ve never seen him--well, shirtless before…”

 

“Does he like you back?” Liz was practically gushing, she sounded so excited.

 

Annemarie bit her lip, bitterly remembered Peter and the way he gazed so lovingly at Liz. Then, she thought about Spider-Man and how confusing it was to try and gauge emotions from a mere mask and goggles. “I don’t know,” she admitted quietly. “I...I’d like him to like me…but I’m...not so sure…”

 

Liz dramatically burst out of the fitting room, looking gorgeous in her blue outfit. Her pretty eyes were dark with determination, and she pointed a finger at Annemarie, proclaimed, 

 

“He  _ has  _ to like you! And even if he doesn’t, we can totally change his mind!”

 

Annemarie was surprised at how passionate Liz seemed about all this. “H--how?”

 

“You and I are going to pick out the cutest outfit and the  _ best _ makeup,” Liz gushed, “and we’re going to make you look  _ soooo  _ cute that this  _ Ben  _ won’t be able to resist the idea of asking you out! When are you gonna see him again? Is he coming to the game?”

 

“Um...n--no...I said I’d see him Monday after school. H--he’s so busy with...school and all…”

 

“Great! That gives us plenty of time to get ready and come up with a great outfit!”

 

“A--are you sure about this, Liz?” Annemarie asked quietly, “I mean, I was willing to deal with the fact he may not like me at all…”

 

“Well, I read in a book that bonding over something empowers a team,” Liz replied, “And also…” she shrugged, “...we’re friends. And friends are supposed to help each other out when there’s a potential romance ready to bloom.”

 

_ Friends? Liz? Me?  _ “Um...I...I guess we can pick some cute outfits out…”

 

Liz squealed, hugged Annemarie, causing her to freeze in shock, “Let’s get to it! Operation Boyfriend is a- _ go _ !”

 

\---

 

His bedroom was a mess, his alarm clock broke, and a single sock was hanging for dear life off his big toe. Peter groaned as his eyes fluttered open at one o’clock that afternoon, his head pounding and his arms sore from the hours he spent web-slinging the night before. How could he be so stupid? Giving Annemarie a flower only to get busted by her brother? Now he had to be even more careful. Peter buried his face in his hands, gritted his teeth in frustration, “Idiot,” he grumbled to himself. “Just  _ had  _ to get her a flower. Couldn’t stay away for a  _ day _ , so you went and did the  _ stupidest  _ possible thing imaginable--!”

 

There was a knock on his door. Peter sat up quickly, his hair poking about in many different directions and the sun’s glare causing him to squint. 

 

“Hey, tough guy, you up yet? I made some sandwiches for lunch!”  _ May.  _ Peter sighed. “Y--yeah, coming out soon!” he called out. As soon as he heard her retreating footsteps, he grabbed his phone, surprised to find no new messages from Annemarie.  _ What the hell am I doing?,  _ Peter groaned again. He shouldn’t have been missing her this much. It wasn’t like she was gone forever. He was going to see her for the game on Sunday, and he’d be seeing her as his alter-ego not too long after that. What the hell was even going on? Peter bit his lip before sending a tentative  _ hey  _ to Annemarie and immediately regretting it not too long after. 

 

He tried to pay attention to Aunt May’s comments about the future volleyball game and how excited she was to see one of his friends in action. She was in the middle of making a banner that proudly bore Annemarie’s name in big, glittery letters and all Peter was thinking was how the hell he got himself into this situation. How long could he keep up the act? Eventually he would have to tell Annemarie who he really was. Her brother was right: how long could he keep her in the dark? 

 

And she would be so disappointed and hate him and never want to see his ugly face again…

 

Peter sighed, tried to muster up courage to just fish out his phone and tell her. Instead, he merely sat frozen like a cheap coward. _I can’t tell her. She’ll hate me..._

 

“Hey, Peter?” He blinked, found Aunt May watching him worriedly. “You okay? You’ve been zoning out for a while now. Wanna talk about it?”

 

Peter hesitated, finally shook his head,

 

“Nah, don’t worry, May. It’s fine. I’m fine.”


	27. Game Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Soooo I'm returning to work tomorrow and I figured I'd give you guys another chapter! We are introduced to a very important character in Anne's life. I'm not super keen on the turnout, but every other draft before this one was just terrible, guys. Next chapter I'm hoping to begin implementing Civil War and the events of Homecoming. Thanks for the support, y'all. Hope you guys enjoy!

If there was one thing Liz Allan loved to do, it would be giving an inspirational pep talk to the girls on the volleyball team. Westchester High was big, intimidating, not at all what the girls expected. But Liz was determined to win their first game, and as she watched her team sitting on the benches in their uniforms, she just knew it would be so.

 

“Okay, girls! This is it! Coach Kane already told us what to expect, and we’ll be ready out there! Anne, you’re our best player, so I’m keeping you up front with me! Betty, make sure if that ball soars above us to send it flying back! Don’t worry, guys! Teamwork makes the dream work! Let’s show them what Midtown High’s made of!” She grinned, her competitive nature kicking in. “Ready?!”

 

“Ready!” The girls all exclaimed, save for Annemarie, a bit self-conscious in her volleyball outfit. Her hair was up in a high ponytail and she felt quite vulnerable without her go-to outfit and her bowler hat, stashed in a locker. Worst part was, she heard the cheering crowd outside. Even though Liz had been excited about the crowd, Annemarie found the cheering made her more nervous than anything else. What if they lost? What if she froze and made Liz look bad and everyone would--?

 

“Hey,” Annemarie was alerted to a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, realized the entire team was already up and running to the gym. Liz was hovering over her, concerned. “We’ve totally got this, you know that, right?” Liz asked her.

 

Annemarie wanted to say yes. Instead, her words got caught in her throat and she gave a small smile and nodded.

 

Liz gave a gentle squeeze, “Come on! Let’s kick some butt out there!”

 

Annemarie nodded, “Okay…” 

 

She got up, ran behind Liz and her teammates to the doors, shoved them open to find a huge gymnasium with blaring lights, a giant volleyball net in the center, and bleachers full of people, from Westchester and Midtown. The right side of the gym cheered and roared upon seeing Midtown’s team burst through, so Annemarie safely guessed their friends and family were cheering on that side. She spotted Mr. and Mrs. Toomes easily, watched Liz’s dad whistle and whoop, yelling, “GO, MIDTOWN!”

 

Annemarie wanted to search the crowd for her family, but then she remembered just who was there, and the pit in her stomach formed. She swallowed, took her place on the floor beside Liz, who waved happily to her family as the opposing team took their places. Liz nudged her, whispered quickly, “We’ve got this!”

 

Annemarie nodded, chanced another glance to the bleachers.

 

Her eyes instantly found a giant white sign, complete with her name in big, sparkling letters. Her cheeks heated up just as she met the eyes of the person holding said sign.

 

Her heart almost stopped as familiar brown eyes found hers, sitting next to a winking Aunt May, holding a camera phone to record, and none other than Ned Leeds with his family. 

 

_ Peter!  _

 

He waved, grinning widely. The nerves fluttered away, and a newfound determination filled Annemarie as she readied herself, watched Westchester High make the first serve.

 

The ball soared, high, across the gym, over the net.

 

_ Game time! _

 

\---

 

It was the last serve, and both teams were tied. Annemarie was sweating, but nevertheless focused. Gone was the timid, scared little girl. No, she was part of the Midtown Tigers Volleyball Team. And they were going to win this. She had gotten a surprising amount of compliments from her fellow teammates. Annemarie had saved them from certain points numerous times, managed to tie the game in the last round. But it was Midtown’s serve, and this was the deciding factor in whether they would win or lose.

 

Betty gulped, threw the ball high before serving. It soared over the net, and a particularly tall Westchester girl leapt, smacked it across. It was inches from the ground when Liz dove, hit it over, and it was back and forth, a tension brewing in the gymnasium.

 

It almost hit the ground on Westchester’s side, but it was hit, soared over, towards Annemarie. She didn’t think, jumped, smacked the ball across with such force it surprised her.

 

Suddenly the ball was on the ground in Westchester’s side, and the whistle was blown and there were roaring cheers on the right side of the gym.

 

Annemarie turned, stared in shock as she found Peter and Ned and Aunt May on their feet, cheering and clapping and roaring. She spotted Mr. and Mrs. Toomes, also overjoyed. And finally, on the top row, there was Adam Abbey, towering over her mother and her father, perhaps the loudest cheerleader of all. They won.

 

“Oh, my GOD, Anne!” Liz squealed, hugged her. Annemarie froze, felt more arms around her from her fellow teammates. 

 

“You did it!” Betty cheered.

 

“Totally kick-ass! We won! We  _ won _ !” Hallie, a junior, hollered.

 

_ I did it? _

 

_ I did it. I did it! _

 

The reality set in, and Annemarie squealed in excitement, hugging as many of her teammates as she could. They could hear the right side chanting, “Midtown! Midtown! Midtown!” And Annemarie never felt more alive. 

 

They split apart, and Annemarie lifted her fist into the air, let out a loud cheer.

 

The cheers came even louder than before, and Annemarie didn’t even notice her father in the audience anymore. The Westchester High team approached, shook hands with each of them, saying, “Good game!”

 

It was a perfect start to a perfect day. Annemarie was on top of the world. By the time they changed out of their clothes and ran out to meet their families, she was elated. In the parking lot, she found Adam, hurried right to him.

 

“You kick-ass dumpling, you!” Adam hugged her, lifted her up and spun her around. Annemarie let out a squeak only to laugh with him. He set her down just as Wendy was planting kisses all over her daughter’s face. “I can’t believe it! My little sister, an athlete! Pretty soon we’ll be watching you in the Olympics or something!”

 

“Adam, the average high school athletes that make it to the Olympics are gymnasts or swimmers and--!”

 

“--aw, come on, no statistics now!” He came from behind Wendy, a smile gracing his distinguished features. Annemarie grew tense as she heard her father’s laugh, felt his arms around her, hugging her. “Way to go out there, Annie Apple! I knew you could do it!”

 

Annemarie was numb, gave a gamely smile for her family’s benefit, “Thanks, Daddy.”

 

Thankfully, she didn’t need to feel numb for long, as Liz and her parents hurried over, eager to introduce themselves. Annemarie giggled when Liz hugged her, and when they pulled away Annemarie gestured to her, “Mom, Daddy, Adam, this is Liz. The captain of our team.”

 

“Nice to meet you!” Liz’s smile was dazzling as she politely shook hands with everyone. Mr. and Mrs. Toomes introduced themselves, too, and the dads were already gabbing away about God knew what. Wendy and Doris Toomes were laughing about something Adam said, leaving the girls to talk amongst themselves. 

 

“You were  _ amazing  _ out there,” Liz gushed, “Now we can go back to school tomorrow with victory and pride! And it’s all thanks to you! I told you that you were the star player!”

 

Annemarie’s cheeks heated up once again, “It’s because of your strong leadership that we managed to win…”

 

“No way! You kicked butt out there! You were so awesome!”

 

Annemarie couldn’t help but smile upon watching Liz gab away about the plays and the strategies and how Annemarie successfully implemented certain maneuvers and tactics. Liz Allan wasn’t so mean, after all.  _ I mean, if she wants to help me win my dream guy, then she’s not as mean as I thought she was going to be… _

 

She found herself searching now for her friends. She spotted her teammates and their families and other students and spectators preparing to leave, but she couldn’t find Peter or Ned. A pang of disappointment filled her as Mr. Toomes called Liz over to get ready to head home.  _ Where are they? _

 

Just as the Toomeses said their goodbyes, Wendy pat her on the shoulder. “Come on, honey! Let’s get ready! We can get pizza to celebrate!”

 

Annemarie nodded, moved to head to the car. She stopped when she heard a familiar voice,

 

“Annemarie!!!”

 

She whirled around, her heart skipping a beat to find Peter Parker hurrying over, Aunt May by the car watching and giving a wave. Behind Peter was Ned, so excited he was practically shaking.

 

“You were  _ awesome _ !” Peter didn’t even think, hugged her tightly. Annemarie tried not to be too elated, but she was just  _ so happy  _ to see him. She didn’t even realize just how much she had missed her friends until that moment. 

 

_ If only Spidey could’ve seen this, too… _

 

“You were so kick-ass!” Ned exclaimed, “And Liz thought you were fantastic, too! Holy crap, the way you just smacked that ball like-- _ bam _ ! So awesome!”

 

“Heyyyy, it’s Pablo and Nerd!” Adam walked over, “Nice of you guys to show up!”

 

Annemarie tried not to cringe in embarrassment, “Adam...their names are Peter and Ned.”

 

“I’m just kidding, guys, thanks for coming!” 

 

Peter tried very hard not to freeze at the sight of her brother. He chuckled nervously, “Uh...uh, it’s no problem...y’know, supporting our friend, fellow Midtown students...heh…”

 

Adam furrowed his brow, paused before shrugging, “Yeah, I guess that’s cool.”

 

“Ooh, and these must be your friends!” Wendy gushed, hurrying over to shake their hands. “Hi! Annemarie talks so much about you two! Peter and Ned, right?”

 

The boys took turns shaking Wendy’s hand, then she turned, called, “Frank! Come here and meet Anne’s friends!”

 

Annemarie visibly shrunk as her father approached, gave a bright smile and shook their hands, “Two boys, eh? As long as neither of you makes a move on my girl, you should be fine!” He chuckled. Then, he said something that surprised Annemarie, “Hey, y’know what? Why don’t you boys join us for pizza? We’re looking to celebrate Annie’s big victory and I’m sure she’d love it if her friends tagged along!”

 

Peter and Ned exchanged a glance, perhaps equally as surprised. “Uh...we’d have to ask...our…”

 

“No problem, no problem! They’re invited too, if they’d like! There’s a lot to celebrate!” Frank winked, and Annemarie frowned. “Go on, go ask! We’ll be waiting!”

 

Just as the boys hurried off, Wendy furrowed her brow, turned to him, “Frank...what plot do you have under your sleeve?” She laughed.

 

“Well, actually, it’s big news.” He held out his hands in a grand gesture, “Guess who’s got a job offer here in New York City?!?!”

 

Wendy’s eyes went wide, “ _ What _ ?!?!? Honey, are you serious?!”

 

“Yep, Mr. Toomes just offered me a gig here. Said family should stick together. Figured why not? He said he could get me started right away!”

 

Wendy squealed, hugged her husband, “Oh, honey, this is great news!”

 

“Wait, so you’re moving here?!?! Like officially?! Dad, that’s  _ awesome _ !” Adam exclaimed.

 

Annemarie’s heart stopped, plummeted through her feet, into the cold concrete of the outdoor parking lot.


End file.
